Sew Skate Read

Pattern Review: BS 03-2012-121A

2012-03-02T08:45:00.001-08:00

Alright, so I am taking a bit of a break from my sewing challenge (and making skating dresses) to sew up a few things because I decided I wanted to make them now. Also, because they are fast knit projects and won't take up a lot of time. This is the first of these quickie projects, hopefully with more to come in the next few days... Anyway, I have taken a fancy to quite a few of the designs in the March Burda, and the first one I have whipped up is 03-2012-121A:

First of all, let me say that I made this shirt with the intent that it be worn over a tank top, so I actually really like the length and fit. I am not super pleased with my finishing on the front, but other than that I am pleased with the results (especially for as quick as it was to make this top):

My top

I could have twisted the ties one more time, but I like the long drape.

The back - the twisting of the ties pulled it a bit off center, but overall fit is pretty nice.

Here is my official pattern review:

Pattern Description: Wrap top with caped sleeves, deep V-neckline, and long ties around the waist.

Pattern Sizing: Burda sizes 36-44. I used a straight size 40.

Were the instructions easy to follow? For the most part, I thought so. The only part I found confusing was dealing with the front self-facing. I wasn't sure how much of a facing there actually was, and it seemed to fall open when I left it unstitched (as in the instructions). I tried to finish it with twin-needle stitching, but it didn't end up looking very good. Good enough to leave it, but not my best effort. If I were to make this again, I would just cut extra fabric strips and finish the front edges in the same manner as the back neck edge (actually, I would probably do the entire open edge in one piece to give a nice finished look). The rest of the instructions were quite good.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, very much so! I think the caped sleeves looked a bit longer on me (which is probably better), and I think I wrapped the ties one time fewer than in the magazine photo, so the ends drape a bit more, but overall very true to the photo and drawing.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really liked that there was additional shaping with darts, even though this is for a knit fabric. I also liked the way the ties wrap around the waist - I think it is flattering. I wasn't a fan of the lack of finishing on the front "self facings"but other than that I really liked this pattern - very fast to sew together!

Fabric used: Black rayon jersey from Joann Fabrics.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: I tried to finish the front facing, but it came out a bit wonky. I would change the way this is done in the future (see the instructions section of this review for advice). After my attempts with the front facing I decided to leave the hem on the ties unfinished - they wont ravel and I thought adding a finished hem wouldn't look as good. Not to mention I was feeling really lazy at the time, so I just left it unfinished. I actually think this drapes better at the free ends of the ties.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I might sew it again - especially in the long-sleeved view B (perhaps next fall, in a wooly knit jersey?). I think it is a great piece for layering, and it is fast to sew together. I don't think I need a ton of these tops in my wardrobe, but I do like that I can wear this to add layers. I would recommend this pattern to others, but suggest they consider different finishing techniques, at least for the front pieces.

Conclusion: I really like this pattern. I don't know that I need to make a lot of these tops, but I am glad I made this one to wear with things I already have. I like the way it fits and is shaped, and overall I like the results. With a few minor tweaks on the finishing it could be a great pattern, and I think the wrapped shape is a great way to get definition at the waist.

With any luck I can get more sewing done today and tomorrow - maybe I will have a few more finished object posts done by the end of the weekend?

Wheel of Time - Cover Art Update

2012-03-01T13:08:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are fantasy and science fiction fans, you have probably already heard the news, but Michael Whelan will be producing the cover art for both the print and e-book versions of A Memory of Light - the final Wheel of Time book. The artwork for the first 13 books in the series was done by Darrel K. Sweet, who has recently passed away. The e-book artwork has been a collection from different artists who have been asked to do individual covers, not the entire series. Brandon Sanderson, who is the author that is completing the writing of the series, has been a long-time Whelan fan, and has even had Whelan do the cover art for the first book in his epic saga The Stormlight Archive. While it is of course tragic that this series cannot be finished with the original author and the original artist, the fact that this project must be completed by others makes the title all the more significant. I am sure I speak for all Wheel of Time fans when I say that it is most exciting to have Whelan doing the cover art, and the more I hear about the last book, the more excited I am - I can't wait!

Pattern Sales: Butterick and Simplicity

2012-02-29T10:46:00.001-08:00

Joann's will be having a $0.99 pattern sale on Butterick Thursday March 1 - Saturday March 3. At that price I don't know if I can pass up at least a few of the new spring releases!

Also, for anyone who is looking for the latest Simplicity patterns (and wasn't lucky enough to find them at the last pattern sale), Joann will be having a $1.99 Simplicity sale Sunday March 4 - Saturday March 10.

Newsflash - Burda April Early Preview Posted

2012-02-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

BurdaStyle Germany has posted the early preview of the April edition. My first impression: meh. Very meh. I mean, some things look ok, but nothing looks spectacular.

This is fine, but not as pretty as the similar dress in the previous issue.

The skirt is fine, but boring.

Pants might be ok, but the shirt is another sac shape.

Very fashion-y photo, but I don't think I would wear this.

I predict this top will be a hit, but those pants are not cute.

Finally - a possible candidate for BWTF April?

So... I am not super excited for the April issue so far. Of course, things could change when I see the full preview, but right now I am all for skipping ahead to May.

Sewing Update - Finished Items and What's Up Next

2012-02-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

So, it might seem like I have been sewing up a storm, but really I just happened to have a lot of projects that finished around the same time. This post is sort of a rambling look at what is going on with my sewing plans...

(1) Firstly, I have finished another skating practice dress. The fabric is from Spandex World in New York, and I am pretty happy with the results.

Front

Back

Side

Other side

Fabric close-up

I wore it to practice the other day and it is very comfortable, but the skirt doesn't have as much flow as I would like because the fabric is a bit heavier than most. Overall it is a great dress though.

(2) I have (mostly) finished my first attempt at a button-down shirt using McCall's pattern (6035). Overall I am a bit conflicted on the results. On the one hand, the princess seams are nice and I mostly like the fit. The lower back is a bit narrow (I will have to add width to the lower back seams), but the real problem is the sleeves. They are slightly a bit narrow (I can easily add width - not a problem), but are extremely uncomfortable at the front armscye. Normally I would say that the problem is that the back is too narrow or that I would need and FBA, or perhaps that the armscye is too low. But this is a pattern with cup sizing, the sleeve seam is well under my armpit, and I don't feel any pulling across the front or the back. Honestly the best I can figure is that the shape of the sleeve is just, well, awkward. Here are some pictures on the dress dummy:

At this point I am debating my course of action. I mean, at some point this year I want to make a perfectly fitted button down shirt (something I have never had before) as part of my sewing challenge. I just don't know if I want to spend the time right now dealing with alterations to this pattern. I am debating using a Vogue pattern or BWOF pattern instead, and using this McCall's pattern to re-draft the sleeve design. The overall fit and look of this shirt is mostly good, but I can't quite decide how to fix the awkward parts, or even what is causing them... After I add buttons I might show some pictures of it on me and ask for advice. But honestly, right now I am thinking about putting this project off for a while while I ponder my options. I don't really consider this a UFO, since this shirt is done (or will be shortly after I add buttons), but more like a posponed project to be resumed later. I won't be writing up a pattern review until I decide if I want to pursue this pattern, or try something else.

Now for what is on deck for the next few weeks...

(3) One of my sewing challenge bonus items is "something from my sewing plans list" and I have decided that that "something" will be a cardigan sweater from My Image magazine:

My Image M1003

The line drawing.

With the weather being all "springy" here I have been wanting a nice lightweight sweater to wear. Of course, I am planning on making it in a grey ribbed knit, so, ummm, maybe not quite so springy? Also, this will be my first My Image pattern. According to size charts I should be a size 36, but my usual Burda size is a 40 - anyone know if the sizing really is that different? It seems most people on Pattern Review have used their Burda sizes or Ottobre sizes without issue - perhaps I should just make a 40? Or split the difference and go 38? Or, I suppose, I could just measure the flat pattern...

(4) I have really taken to the idea of sewing up some of the new patterns from the March Burda. I have some more black rayon fabric (left over from my sewing challenge top) and I really want to make this simple looking wrap top:

It has captured my fancy

I think part of the reason I want to make this is so I can wear it over some of my lacy tank tops that I can't seem to find a reason to wear otherwise. The deep V-neckline and short waist will be perfect to pair with my seldom used but much loved tanks. And in black I can wear it with multiple colors... Not to mention it should be pretty fast to sew up. Hopefully it turns out as awesome as I hope it will be!

(5) Another long cardigan top. The more I look at this pattern, the more I just fall in love with it. I have been saving a soft blue knit for some special project, and I think I have found it. With any luck this too should be a quick project that I can whip up on my serger...

So, that's what I hope to be tracing/cutting/sewing in the next week or so. After that I will be hard core sewing skating costumes for real. In general my challenge projects have been going well, and I have a bit of extra time before I need to start on my competition dresses, so I feel justified in throwing in a few extra projects. Also, after having so many planned projects, a little spontaneity is nice! Hopefully I will have a lot of finished projects to show off soon!

Academy Awards - Gowns I Loved

2012-02-27T15:12:00.013-08:00

I know some people are obsessed with awards shows, and others can't stand them. There will be more than enough analysis, trash talking, and gushing on tv and in magazines for weeks to come. I don't really need to add to all the commotion, but now that I am sewing clothes I can't help but appreciate some of the more spectacular ones, so I thought I would share some of my favorites...

Love the simplicity of this. Also, capes are totally a thing!

This dress inspires me to want to do color blocking.
There is a McCall's pattern (6432) that could be used to knock this off too.

Love the color and the chiffon on the skirt.

LOVE the black lace and bold color combo.

Love the color and the flow of the skirt.

Hard to see, but I love the sequin detail on the gown.

I just like this whole dress - it makes me think "Academy Awards."

And I double love this gown - the copper color is fab.
Also, I am a magpie...

My third favorite gown - the shoulder details = swoon!

My second favorite gown - this is the dress of a movie star.

My favorite dress of the night - the fit, shape, and fabric all add up to perfection!

So, which dresses do you all like? Did I miss anything really fabulous? Does all this gorgeousness make anyone else want to sew a gown?

Pattern Review: Burda 7360

2012-02-26T11:11:00.002-08:00

Finally I have a raincoat! And pictures to prove it! This was the first of my "Bonus Items" in my sewing challenge. It took a bit longer than I had anticipated since my first pattern choice ended up failing at the muslin stage. And applying all the seam sealing tape made pressing take longer than normal. And then trying to hem the rubber backed fabric by hand was sort of exhausting. But in the end I am really happy with my coat, and I am especially pleased with my decision to change my pattern and use Burda 7360 instead.

It was easier sewing the rubber-backed material on the machine than I had anticipated, but I am still glad I chose a raglan pattern over one with set-in sleeves. Using a sharp microtex needle and teflon presser foot was really helpful for sewing this fabric as well. I am also happy that I was able to find a belt buckle that matched the buttons I had selected. With the minor alterations I made, the fit turned out really great, and I love my finished coat. So much so that there are tons of pictures. Tons.

My coat - Burda 7360

Pardon the red shoes - sleepy photographer didn't give me a lot of time to change,

The back with a vent.

And now for my addition - a hood!

It is a raincoat after all.

Back with hood down.

Side with hood attached.

How the coat hangs unbuttoned.

Front unbuttoned.

The lining shot (and my LBD).

Buttons!

Hidden button placket.

Sleeve tabs (are tiny and cute and in the wrong seam. Ooops...)

Hood is attached with plastic separating zip.

Collar without hood - I am very pleased with the shape and stiffness.

The vintage buckle from Etsy.

In seam pocket.

Sorry for the redonkulous amount of pictures. It is a very photogenic coat... ;-)

Here is my official pattern review:

Pattern Description: Burda's description: Raglan coat in classic form or youthfully casual, cinched at the waist with casing and tie belt. A has a concealed front button band and collar, B has snap fasteners and a standing collar. I made view A - the classic style trench coat.

Pattern Sizing: Burda envelope sizes 36-48 (American sizes 8-20). I made a size 40 (14) but I did add some width to the lower back.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, I thought the instructions were quite straightforward. I think the Burda envelope patterns are a great option for someone who wants to try Burda patterns but are worried about the spotty instructions in the magazines. The envelope patterns have the same great drafting, but the instructions are more thorough and have great pictures as well.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, very much so! I did have one addition (a removable hood), but other than that my results look very similar to the line drawing and envelope photo. I think this is a great pattern - looks really good when it is completed and very flattering.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I had a lot of likes: I loved the style - it is a very sleek and modern looking trench coat style. I loved the collar, which is quite sturdy because it is drafted with a collar stand. I also like the concealed buttons. The drafting, as per usual with Burda, is wonderful. And this pattern even includes separate pattern pieces for the lining, which is really nice. Dislikes: This is pretty minor, but the pocket bags are a bit large for the size of the coat. I mean, I like the large pockets, but they do bunch up a bit inside the coat because they are a bit too wide to fit smoothly.

Fabric used: The outside is a rubber backed material I found at Hancock Fabrics. I used a seam-sealing tape to water-proof the seams. This did leave the seams a bit more puckery than I would have liked, but the tape does do a nice job of preventing water from leaking to the inside of the coat. Because of the rubber backing, I used a sew-in interfacing instead of a fusible. It was actually a stiff polyester fabric I had bought from the Joann's red tag sales, and I think it does a great job providing just the right amount of stiffness in the collar. On the inside I used a thin polyester lining that was also from Hancock Fabrics.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: I made a few alterations for fit. I added an inch of length at the top lengthen line. I also widened the back pattern piece by 1.5 inches below the waist line so that the side seams would fall straight. Finally, I raised the pocked placement by 1.5 inches (one inch to counteract the extra length I added to the top, and half an inch because I felt the placement was too low to begin with). Finally, I made one major design change - I added a removable hood. I used the BWOF 05-2002-123 pattern which has a pattern and instructions for a hood that is attached by a separating zipper. The zipper is sewn into the seam for the collar, and though it makes the neck a bit stiff I really like that I can wear the coat without the hood most of the time, and zip on the hood when it is raining.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? I think I might sew this again! I love the modern sleek style. And I plan on re-using the instructions for the concealed buttons in an upcoming project. I would highly recommend this pattern to others - it is well drafted, easy to sew, good instructions, and a great modern version of a classic style.

Conclusion: I LOVE this pattern! And I LOVE my coat! Although there are a few minor complaints, I really couldn't be more pleased with the results. I have a lot of coat patterns in my stash that I want to try out, but I think I might return to this one again in the future. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a sleek trench style.

Whew. So, that is my coat! A long journey, to be sure, but a rewarding one as well. I think this will get a lot of wear this spring - both with and without the hood. Maybe more without than with if today's sun and balmy winds are any indication of the weeks to come... And yes, I am including weather descriptions specifically for a certain someone who is currently freezing their pituty off in Norway ;-D

And that is my first sewing challenge bonus item down! Things are progressing a bit more quickly than I anticipated in sewing land, so I may be re-evaluating my sewing plans for next week - stay tuned!

Pattern Review: BS 07-2011-131

2012-02-25T18:10:00.002-08:00

So far I think things have been going quite well for my year-long sewing challenge - this dress is the third essential item completed. I knew I wanted to make this dress as soon as I saw it in last July's Burda, but it took me a while to gather the materials and get around to making it.

Overall I am pretty pleased with the dress - I like the style and I think the fit turned out pretty good overall. I think the dress is a great LBD - perfect for accessorizing, stylish, but simple. I feel like I could wear it to many different events, and I actually think it is pretty comfortable as well. I didn't get to do a lot of styling for my photo shoot as my photographer wanted to take a nap, but I was able to get pictures of the basic dress. Also, I just want to point out that it looks super wrinkly in these pictures, but it looks much less noticeable in real life. I really messed with the contrast so it wouldn't look like a black blob in the photos, but it makes the wrinkles look awful and huge when they really aren't. Note to self: must stop doing photos of black fabric at twilight lest they turn out hard to see.

The front of the dress.

Back of the dress

Side with the slit.

My lining and lace tape at the hem.

Invisible zip was pretty good.

I am glad I decided to include the sleeve bands for this dress.

Here is my official pattern review:

Pattern Description: A fitted sheath dress with side zip, side slit, and sleeve details. This pattern also includes a capelet or shrug to be worn over the dress. I only made the dress.

Pattern Sizing: Burda sizes 36-44. I made a size 40 at the top and a size 44 at the bottom, but I did have to make a lot of adjustments (mostly taking the dress in everywhere) because I wanted this dress to be very fitted.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, I thought they were very easy - especially for Burda! The only part I think could be confusing is attaching the facing to the dress at the sleeve seam. I was really tired when I got to that step, so I just left it for the next day. It isn't that difficult - you essentially turn the sleeves inside-out as much as possible and sew these pieces together. I was actually able to do this entire step on my machine, though it looks like the instructions assume you won't be able to get the sleeves turned enough and has you finish this by hand. I thought this gave a nice finish to the sleeve seams, though I am sure there are other methods available. The rest of the instructions are very easy - you are mostly just sewing the long seams of the dress together.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, almost exactly! I even made the dress in black, so it looked like it could have been the same dress - although I do think the sleeve bands were a bit more pronounced on me than in the model photo.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Likes: I love the style, I like the side slit because it makes the dress easy to walk in, and I like the side zip because it is easy to put on. I also think the instructions are great and this would be a good first Burda pattern for someone who is a bit nervous about the instructions. Dislikes: I don't like that the front facing stops at the fullest part of my bust. It creates a sort-of visible line there, and I would prefer if it were a bit higher.

Fabric used: I used a cotton sateen with slight stretch which I ordered from Mood online. I also added a lining (not part of the pattern) and I used a black Ambiance Bemburg Rayon, which I miraculously found (on sale!) at Joann Fabrics. I also used some nylon hem lace for hemming the dress.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: Well, I did make sort of a lot of alterations for fit I guess. I have a bit of a swayback and I have large thighs, but a comparatively small waist, so what I did was make a muslin, fit it to my body with pins, mark out the excess fabric with a Sharpie, and then adjust my paper pattern based on the fit problems with the muslin. Basically I took out width in the waist on all pattern pieces, took out some with across the upper back (original muslin had a gaping neck, but I took out the width at the seams), and took out some length (about 1 inch) at the upper back. I think this length adjustment is really due to my swayback, but because of the way the back seams are curved, it pushed the excess fabric higher up than I normally see in patterns I need to adjust. As for design changes - I added a lining (created my own pattern pieces by laying the facing and dress pieces together, then tracing that to draft the lining pieces), I used a 22" invisible zipper as opposed to a 16" zipper (mostly due to zipper availability, though I like the extra room fot getting into the dress), and I raised the neckline by about 2.5". Apparently I have a slightly high bust, and Burda does love those low necklines. As drafted this pattern would be great for a date night, or if you are feeling the need to have a bit of revenge on your ex, but for a more versatile dress I think it is too revealing. The only problem I had with my adjustment is that I adjusted the facing neckline just a smidge too tall, so it tries to puff up a bit at the top. If you make this adjustment keep the facing line just a bit shorter than the dress line so it will stay in place.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I think I might use this pattern again. I don't make a lot of dresses, but I do like the way this dress fits since I made all the alterations. I think if I made it again I would (1) lower the neckline by 1/2" (and then find appropriate undergarments for this), (2) change the front facing so it doesn't hit at the full bust and lower the top a bit as well (and also adjust my lining pattern accordingly), and (3) probably leave off the sleeve bands/sleeve caps. I love them on my black dress because I think they make the dress more chic or stylish or something, but I also think this dress could be more versatile for wearing with jackets and such without them. I highly recommend this pattern to others, but I suggest you take the time to make a muslin because it is so fitted. This pattern required much more fit adjustment than I usually need with a Burda, but I think the results were totally worth it.

Conclusion: Fabulous pattern! I think this is a great sheath pattern, and might be headed towards TNT status. The style lines are great, and help a lot with getting that perfect fit. The instructions are easy, and even someone new to Burda could follow them. If you are willing to put in a little effort with fitting a muslin, I think that the results will be fabulous and that this style could be very flattering for lots of body types.

So I have another challenge item down. Well, actually two because my raincoat is also done! Keep an eye out - I will be posting my raincoat review soon!

Newsflash - New Butterick Patterns Announced

2012-02-24T00:54:00.000-08:00

After all the other pattern releases, it was about time for Butterick to join in with their spring releases. If you love dresses - you are in luck! Or maybe out of luck if you aren't looking to buy any new patterns. If you were hoping for anything other than a dress, too bad maybe next time.

Some of the more notable patterns:

B5750 - One of the Suzi Chin dresses

B5749 - Another Suzi Chin pattern

5749 Line Drawing

B5758 - A Maggy London design

5758 Line - I actually like the back a lot.

B5752 - Maggy London - not a huge fan of the side pannel ruching here

B5751 - Maggy London. I actually like the top here.

And, for the Retro lovers:

B5748

B5747

There were a lot of other new patterns, but I didn't think they were very interesting. It seems Butterick has decided to join Burda in promoting the sack dress as super fashionable. Overall I would have to say this is a good release (there are lots of pretty dresses) and yet there isn't anything I find myself really wanting. Although I find myself responding better to many of these designs than those in the recent Simplicity release, there still isn't anything here that I find myself dying to make up. Or I can use other patterns in my stash to create something similar. So I don't know if I will be adding anything to my pattern wish list, but if I see a lot of stunning creations turning up on Pattern Review I might be persuaded to get some latter on. So, what does everyone else think? Anything you are obsessed with? Or just another bunch dresses?

Fat Tuesday Fabric Haul

2012-02-23T12:04:00.000-08:00

Ok, first of all, let me say I didn't order all of this on Fat Tuesday. It just all happened to arrive at the same time. And let's just say that (regardless of religious affiliations or lack thereof) the irony of the timing was not lost on me...

First of all, I was ordering a few things on Amazon (not sewing related) and saw that Fashion Secrets from the Sewing Industry could be had for just $0.68! Well, plus $4 in shipping, but still, that is less than the cost of a footlong sandwich from Subway!

My March Burda showed up too!

I haven't really sat down and read a lot of this book yet, much less test any techniques but even after spending a bit glancing through it I have to saw - this book is AWESOME! It covers everything from making a sloper and muslins to burn tests (with pictures!) and has construction techniques from bound buttonholes (best visual tutorial I have seen in a book) to pressing techniques. It also has the basic construction order for blouses, pants, skirts, and vests. Which is great if you are wigging out over Burda instructions (or Patrones, Knipmode, etc...). While I can't say that it covers everything in depth (I mean, it is about using RTW techniques, nothing couture here), I think the picture tutorials are great because they show every single step. Some of the fabric choices are a bit bright/hard to see, but in general I am thinking this might be my go-to reference book in the future. The bound buttonhole instructions alone look to be worth the cost (it includes two methods for dealing with the facing - depending on the fabric). So I would say - if you can spare the $5 get thee to Amazon!

Also, I am happy my Burda came! After looking through the magazine and seeing the full sized photos I have to say I am dying to make this sweater top:

I have the perfect blue knit - thin and soft!

And this wrap shirt:

This looks so much better in person...

I still think the jacket is probably the best pattern in this issue, but I will probably make these two patterns way before I would get to that. Also, I have to point out that this dress is way less attractive in full-sized photos than even the internet made it out to be:

That bust line still kills me...

Ok, ok, on to the fabric haul. A while ago I got a discount code from Fabric Mart, so I thought I would get a few things...

Mess 'o' invisible zips

$1.99 poly knit

Black poly gaberdine left, grey poly woven right.

Pretty metallic jacquard!
The photo doesn't even come close to doing this fabric justice...

Ever since I got my first Burda magazine (last February), I have been in love with this coat:

BS-02-2011-133

Maybe not the cut of the coat necessarily, but this idea of a brocade/jacquard coat has been dancing about in my head for nearly a year now. Now I finally have the fabric and I just have to settle on a pattern... It takes me a while to plan things...

As for the rest of this order, I would like to say I am in love with all these fabrics, but, to be honest, with the exception of the jacquard, I am not. The knit doesn't have the nicest texture. The black poly gaberdine is really really shiny. And heavy! I am probably going to make pants wrong side out (at least I won't have to line them...) and use the shiny side for accents like welt pockets or some such. The grey fabric is a much lighter color in person than I thought it would be when I ordered it. Also, and this is the kicker, I was so excited about buying the jacquard I forgot to use the discount code on the other fabric!!! So, from this we learned (1) SLOW DOWN at checkout and make sure you are filling in all the boxes and (2) if there is only one fabric you really really want, just buy that fabric and leave the rest. I mean, I still plan on using all of this fabric, I just wish I was more excited about it...

Alright, on to more exciting things. I am starting to run low on interfacing so I recently got some from Fashion Sewing Supply while they were having a sale. I had wanted to order some quite a while ago, but the website was down and I wasn't really willing to wait, so I have been using Palmer/Plesch in the mean time. Which has been working well, but I really don't know if I will order it again because this new stuff is FAB-U-LOUS! Amazing, really. I ordered a sample pack and now I feel like I really want some of everything:

Tricot, weft, hair canvas - they have it all!

The sample pack is great - a generous heap of every type of interfacing they carry, including their hair canvas and fusible hair canvas. This stuff is amazing - you can just feel the quality. I haven't tried fusing any of it yet, but the service was great. I highly recommend getting this sample pack for help with deciding what to order in the future. I will post an update once I get to using the goods, but it has come highly recommended by others on the internets, so I am expecting good things.

I also ordered a few things in bulk:

Medium and lightweight weft interfacing, and tricot interfacing on the bottom.
The tricot has some stretch and I plan to use it on a skating dress collar.
Let us prey the gods don't smite me for partaking in such ridiculousness.

Lastly, I made a purchase from Fabric.com. Now, I have been going to this website for quite some time, but this is first time I have found anything that I really wanted to buy. So I went a little wild. But these fabrics are amazing, so I suppose I can forgive myself...

Firstly, I got this great navy tropical wool. It is so smooth and soft - I love it! It will be a classically tailored jacket at some point, though maybe not for a while quite yet. Right now I am debating between Burda and Patrones patterns...

My wool

It will become something like this:

BS-02-2011-126

Or maybe like this:

Patrones 295-32

Also, with Peter's timely post about Ultrasuede I am pretty happy to show off my amazing faux suede:

The color is even more vibrant in real life

This fabric is wonderful. It has nice heft and drape, and is so incredibly soft. It is amazing and I can't wait to pair it with my recent Joann's fabric:

This will be my lining

Consider this a sneak peak as these will be the basis for my sewing challenge RTW knockoff piece. Which I really won't get to for a few months at least, but I am super excited by the prospect of this project at the moment. I still need to acquire a few things, but once I gather my materials and am ready to start I will share my plans and inspiration.

Lastly, I ordered some Uptown Raw Silk Suiting fabric:

This will be for a short jacket

And this will be for a long coat.

This stuff is gorgeous! It is soft (well, it is silk after all) and the colors are stunning! If you feel the need you can get your own here. Except not of the dark blue. Because it is all gone now. Somehow I feel that the Selfish Seamstress would be nodding in approval. Or gnashing her teeth. In any case, let's just say the only reason I haven't ordered more is the whole money thing, but I am seriously contemplating ordering more when the bank account gets filled.

And... that's not quite it. I have one more box coming from Fashion Fabrics Club, but it didn't come on Fabric Tuesday, so it doesn't get included in this post. Nothing too terribly exciting there (some cotton for pants) but I will post the contents it when it arrives. (Also, is FFC no longer offering 10lb fabric boxes? It said that they were out of stock when I checked. I hope this isn't a permanent thing...)

I really wasn't planning on buying this much fabric (especially after my holiday binge), but the silk and jacquard are seriously the fabric my dreams are made of, and the other things are pretty much going to be for staple pieces like pants. But I am really starting to feel stash satiation coming on... I have fabrics for most (maybe all?) of my remaining sewing challenge items, and have sewing plans that can extend (literally) years beyond that. So I think it is finally time to start considering a stash diet. Although perhaps it will go the way as with envelope patterns - I feel I have enough and so I just don't see the need to buy a lot more. Somehow I have an inkling it might not go the same with fabric. I will see how next month goes and assess from there.

Now, back to hemming...

Sewing Update - Darn those hems!

2012-02-20T20:31:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to post an update and let everyone know - I have been sewing! A lot, actually. I just don't have any finished projects to show off at the moment. Here are a few quick updates on things:

The raincoat: is really almost done! I literally have half the lining hem to finish. And it isn't that I hate hand sewing. I just hate hand sewing the hems on that rubberized material. I can only deal with it so long before I get totally exhausted. But, I figure one (or two...) more pushes and I can get this baby done.

The little black dress: is also almost done! I finished the machine sewing, and also only have hemming to do. Which I also plan to do by hand. But this should be much easier/faster since I won't be sewing through the most puncture-resistant fabric of all time. Once this is done I need to pick out accessories so I can do a fun photo shoot - this dress is really looking like the perfect backdrop for accessorizing.

The button down shirt: is in progress. Well, the muslin is in progress. Or, maybe not "muslin," since I am hoping it will be wearable. Test garment? Dry run? Whatever. In any case, this is in progress, so I probably won't be finishing this until next weekend, and it will take at least another week before the final version is close to being finished if the first draft goes well. I probably would have been able to finish it this weekend, but there were a few (time consuming) skating events going on, so I didn't have as much sewing time as I usually do on the weekends.

The plan for this coming week: cutting out a few practice dresses for skating, and maybe sewing those up next weekend along with the rest of the shirt. Hopefully I will also be able to get some finished projects and pattern reviews posted next week as well.

Book Review: Gunn's Golden Rules

2012-02-19T16:25:00.000-08:00

I recently borrowed and read Tim Gunn's fashion book, A Guide to Quality, Taste, and Style, as partial inspiration for my sewing challenge, and decided that it would also be fun to read his other book, Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making It Work.

I am really a fan of this book! Organized in to chapters that act as life lessons, this book is really an interesting look into the world of fashion and celebrity. Essentially, this is a collection of rambling stories that work together to highlight character traits we should work to posses or flaws we should strive to overcome. Though at times I suppose this book could feel like Tim is just airing his grievances, the stories are told in such a way that I found them insightful and amusing. This book really feels more like you are having a chat with a friend, or listening to the stories of a relative than that you are being lectured on manners. The book is a mixture of tales from Tim's personal and professional lives, and all are told with the right mixture of whit, charm, and disdain. I found this book to be a quick and enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it. However, if you are a fan of Project Runway, or any of Tim Gunn's other television endeavors, then this book is an absolute must read and should be placed on top of your reading pile.

Newsflash - New Simplicity Patterns

2012-02-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

Simplicity has just released their latest patterns for spring - you can see the full collection here. As this is a spring collection, the offerings are full dresses and children's clothes, with a few wardrobe patterns thrown in the mix.

Simplicity is certainly upping its "designer" offerings - in addition to the ever popular Cynthia Rowley patterns, Project Runway designers Suede and Leanne Marshall are also offering designs this spring:

I predict this pattern will be popular on Pattern Review in the coming months.

More patterns from Project Runway contestant Suede.

And newly added Leanne Marshall patterns too!

When I was just glancing over the thumbnails, I thought ooh, I really like these tops:

But then I realized I already have this pattern:

The old envelope makes it much harder to see the line drawings.

I did like the new Project Runway patterns:

But I also think that these are very similar to patterns I already own, so I think I can probably skip them. Other than that I did really like the jacket included in this wardrobe pattern:

I am a fan of the three-quarter sleeves and the gathering detail.

And, finally, this pattern was my favorite, and the only one I consider a must-buy out of this collection:

Swoon. The back = love.
Also, the model needs different shoes.
And a longer dress.

Somehow it doesn't matter how many patterns for pretty dresses and ball gowns I have, I can always find room for one more.

So, overall I do think this is a pretty good collection - I feel like Simplicity is trying to be a bit more "fashion forward" with some of these designs, but I also feel like they have some good basics in this set. However, I don't actually think I will be buying many of these patterns because I feel like I have something similar for many of the designs I do like, or I know I wouldn't wear many of the more unique looking styles. The only pattern I really want to buy is the gown, though I am considering the jacket pattern. So, what does everyone else like? Are you a fan of the ruffly spring gowns? Or does this feel like a mashup of patterns you have seen before? Is there anything you are dying to have, or do you think your pattern stash has got you covered for spring sewing this year?

Newsflash - A Memory of Light Release Date Announced!!!

2012-02-16T21:36:00.000-08:00

For those of us who have been reading the Wheel of Time series for over a decade (or two), the announcement we have been waiting for has finally been made - January 8, 2013 is the official date for the release of the fourteenth and final book - A Memory of Light!

The official announcement on Tor can be read here. For those of you who can't tell, I am terribly excited, and I don't know if I will be able to sleep tonight. Partially from the excitement, and partially because when I read the comments on the Tor post I felt my blood boil. What is with all the negativity? This is one of the greatest fantasy series of all time, and the ending is something that the fans have been waiting for such a long time. The people involved in this project are putting their hearts and souls into finishing it, and we should be grateful that there is to be an ending at all. I don't know what everyone else is going to do, but I, for one, will be at the bookstore January 8, happy and excited to finally get the book I have been waiting for for over a decade.

Book Review: Lost at the Con

2012-02-16T10:32:00.000-08:00

When I saw Lost at the Con recommended on a "geek blog," I knew I simply had to read it. So, when I needed to order a teflon presser sheet I decided to round out my Amazon order with this book (please tell me I am not the only one who always adds something from my wish list to meet the free shipping minimum). And I am sure glad I did.

Lost at the Con by Bryan Young is a wild romp through the world of a science fiction convention. It is the story of Cobb, a political journalist who has sold out on his ideals for a steady pay check. Disgusted with his personal and professional life, he is given an assignment he could care less about - covering the science fiction convention Griffin*Con (based on the real life Dragon*Con) in Atlanta. Armed with a pen, a press badge, and a glass of scotch (or any other alcohol handy), Cobb sets off in search of stories.

Upon reaching Atlanta, Cobb is confused and lost almost his entire stay. He wanders his way through the hoards of convention-goers, dressed to the max in geeky costumes from comics, movies, and history. What he expects to find is a mass of "basement dwelling mouth-breathers," but instead he finds everything from the socially awkward young adult male to sexy girls in school girl costumes. Though he searches for the seedy underbelly of geek life, he can't help but be swept up in the hero's journey that is so beloved by fans of fantasy and science fiction.

I don't really want to spoil the fun details of story, but if "slashfic," "nerds vs. jocks," or "Cybernetic Space Lincoln" pique your interest, this book is a must read. And I mean, really, how could Cybernetic Space Lincoln not pique your interest? The book has the feel of a modern-day epic quest in an alien world (well, alien at least to the main character). It is for anyone who is a fan of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, or anyone who has been to a science fiction convention (willingly or otherwise). I found this book to be hilarious and fun, and I highly recommend it.

Dance Skating - The Starlight Waltz

2012-02-15T10:07:00.000-08:00

It seemed about time to continue on with the tour of skate dances. I thought that since yesterday was Valentine's Day it would be most appropriate to look at another waltz - this time the Starlight Waltz.

The Starlight Waltz is a relatively new dance, as it was adopted for competition in the 1960s. I believe it was originally an ice dance, though it is has not been used in competition at the senior level in recent memory. For ice, the dance is skated to a 174bpm tempo, but in roller the dance is skated to 168bpm. Because of it's late introduction to skating in the 60s, in roller there is only an international variation to this dance. Most of the adaptations to American style from the International and ice variations occurred before this time.

Here are some samples of the dance as seen in roller:

(You may have to click on this one twice to watch on YouTube as it doesn't like the embedding)

Here is a sample of it being skated solo (using the ladies steps) as it will be skated in competition this year:

This video is LONG, but has some great skating, though there doesn't seem to be any sound...

And here is a more recent example, from the 2010 World Championships, although the video quality isn't the best:

Here are some examples of it being skated on ice:

This is an instructional video, in case you want to learn more about the technique involved in the dance:

For roller, this dance is skated in competition at the World Class level only, but it has been used quite a bit in both the solo and team divisions in recent years. It is also in the RSA #12 Gold Medal International Dance Test for both team and solo dance.

Newsflash - March Burda Style Preview Posted

2012-02-14T01:45:00.000-08:00

The full preview of the March issue of the BurdaStyle magazine has been posted to the Russian BurdaStyle website.

March is the wedding issue and, as I suspected, some of the designs draw heavy inspiration from last year's royal wedding. The Burda designs aren't quite as literal with the interpretation as some of the other pattern companies (*coughButterickcough*) but you can still see similarities with the inspiration.

The "Lady Catherine" gown

The "Pippa" gown

The "Young Bridesmaid" dress

I actually really like Burda's version of the Pippa dress, but that last dress seriously looks like it belongs on a child. Could the seam possibly be in a more unflattering position?

In addition to the most unflattering wedding dress of all time (as seen above), Burda also included yet more sack dresses, though they are made up in interesting fabrics in this issue:

Aside from the wedding gowns, there were actually a lot of things I liked in this issue, though nothing I am really dying to make right away.

Nice trousers.

Though I would never wear this print, I like this skirt.

Line drawing of skirt above, for better viewing.

This skirt is similar, but with more of an A-line shape.

This one has pockets - me likey!

Burda seems to be into the wrap tops as of late.

Which is ok, because I actually like them, and want to make one.

Still love this dress.

I even think it is elegant in a solid color.

I also like this Chanel style jacket.

But I like this one better.

Here is the line drawing.

This one is basically the same.

But it lacks pockets.

I am also loving this cardigan - such a pretty feminine shape!

But, well, with the good comes the bad. There were some seriously questionable pattern choices in this issue:

A wild west coat.

To go over your pirate shirt.

Or a mullet dress.

To go with your fishing vest.

Erm, yeah. The only word I can think of to describe the pocket placement on that vest is schizophrenic. At least you don't have to worry about having the right and left sides match?

In any case, I had a bit of a hard time picking the best and worst items out of this issue. Mostly because there were a lot of things I liked, but none of them stood out as being far more amazing that the others. But after thinking about it a bit I have decided to give the Best of BS award for March 2012 to:

Jacket with pockets!

I didn't have quite as much difficulty choosing the worst pattern of the month, and am awarding the BWTF March 2012 to:

The crazy hot pink vest!

All in all I think this is a good issue, but not a great issue. There are a lot of good patterns, but nothing that seems incredibly unique or special. Of everything, I actually think I am most interested in making the long floaty cardigan, though I don't know how soon I would get to it.

What do you all think? Did I miss anything good? What are your favorite and least favorite patterns in the coming issue?

Burda Dress Muslin and Some More Fabric

2012-02-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

The raincoat is practically done (I still need to finish the lining hems - I am doing those by hand so there are lots of TV watching plans for the rest of the week...) and I should be posting my review within the week.

In the meantime I was able to sew up the muslin for my next project - the Burda 07-2011-131 dress. Overall I rather like the way it looks, thought I will be needing to do a lot of alterations for fit:

The front - overall I find the front fit to be pretty good, and the length is about right.

Side view - side and back seams need some taking-in.

I need to add about 2 inches, and take in the width slightly near the top.
Also, note that the dressform has a slightly lower bust than I do.
This top is low, even for Burda...

The back needs a lot of work.

For the back I need to take out a wedge at the center back to narrow it around the collar, and take in the seams along the back. I also need to reduce the length along the back - this is something like a swayback adjustment, except that for some reason on this dress the extra bagginess is much higher than normal. I think this might have to do with the way the seams are curved, but I am not really sure. Overall, the length seems to be pretty good on me (I am 5' 7" and long waisted), which is a bit unusual. I know when I make Big4 patterns I have to add length, but when I make Burda patterns the torso length varies between being too short and just right. I am pondering weather I should have actually used a size 38 at the top instead of a size 40, but at this point I think I will just make the pattern alterations as necessary and ponder going down a size with future projects (at least on fitted projects - coats seem to be fine as a size 40).

Also, I have decided to include the little shoulder sleeve things in my final project. I don't know it I like them, exactly, but I do think they balance out my shape better than the dress does without them, so I will include them in the final design. Also, I think they make the dress seem a bit more fashionable or modern or something. Although I think the dress still looks good without them too. Now that I have a plan, hopefully I can get the patterns adjusted and the dress cut out by the end of this week so I can sew it up next weekend.

Also, this past weekend I had a flash of inspiration for what I want to copy as the RTW knockoff bonus item for my sewing challenge. I don't want to post pictures too soon (as I won't be getting to it for a while yet), but I bought some fabric to be used as part of that future project:

Project Runway fabric from Joann

I am super pleased because it is exactly what I need for my challenge project. Which I won't be getting to for quite a while. But I now I really want to work on that project, but I also know that it will probably be one of the most labor-intensive items on my list, so I really can't start it until after all of my skating costumes are done for the year. Which means I can't get to it for several months at least. So, well, perhaps I am being a bit of a tease, but I suppose that goes with the territory of having a year-long sewing plan. Or maybe it is just me. I do seem to have a lot of sewing projects planned out that aren't necessarily challenge related.

What about you, other sewing people of the internets - how far in advance do you plan your sewing projects? Do you always buy fabric with specific projects in mind, or do you just buy something pretty and find projects for your stash later?

Book Review: How I Became Stupid

2012-02-12T19:41:00.000-08:00

I had been reading a lot of fantasy novels at the end of last year, so I decided I wanted to read something a little different over the holidays, and I settled on the amusing satire, How I Became Stupid by Martin Page.

This novel details the adventures of Antoine as he searches for happiness, which, he has decided, will be best achieved by finding a way to reduce his intelligence. His attempts to live as an "ordinary man" border on the ridiculous, and he tries everything from alcohol to stock brokering in search of a cure. Surrounded by a cast of wacky characters, Antoine's world is both crazily odd and yet strangely relatable.

Although I thought this book started off as an amusing read, by the end I was a bit conflicted on my overall impression. On one hand, I actually think the concept is sort of brilliant, and many of Antoine's attempts at slowing his mind are hilarious. On the other hand, I feel like this book didn't strike the right balance between ridiculous satire and social commentary. While the book did point out a lot of flaws in today's society, the ending felt muddled and rushed, and didn't seem to flow naturally with the rest of the story. I don't know if I would say that I am confused about the overall message of the book, I would say that the message felt like it was forced on the reader by the abrupt ending, rather than growing more organically out of the story. It really felt like the author had a good idea, but was never able to fully flush it out, and then rushed an ending to meet a publication deadline. While I enjoyed the majority of the book, the abrupt ending sort of killed all of my warm fuzzy feelings.

I don't think I would recommend this book as a must read, but I do think the beginning of the book is humorous and does have some merit. I am glad I read it, but I don't think this book necessarily has broad appeal. If you want a quick read that proposes some interesting thoughts, it is worth the time, but if you want a great novel that will shower you with insights to the meaning of life then you would probably be best off looking elsewhere.

Clearly, the months between my reading it and actually posting a review (I wrote it a while ago, but delayed the posting) is some indication of my ambivalence.

Sewing Challenge - Planning the Next Phase

2012-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

I only got around to posting the coat update yesterday, but I actually got a bit further along than I thought I would (sick again... means more sewing time). Now that my raincoat project is nearing completion (need to finish facings, linings, buttons, etc), I am starting to think about what my next few projects should be, before I head into several months of dedicating my sewing time to skating dresses. I am hoping I can maybe get two more challenge items completed by mid-March, at which point I will be shifting the focus of my sewing. Looking at my list, I wanted to pick two items where I had a fairly good idea of the patterns I wanted to use, as well as already having fabric and most of the necessary notions. Not to mention that I wanted to pick some of the less complicated items (as in, no coats or jackets) so I could have a reasonable chance at finishing them within the time frame I need.

So I decided that my next challenge project is going to be the basic black dress. I have had my eye on this dress ever since I saw last July's BurdaStyle magazine:

BS-07-2011-131

I am planning on making this dress from a black cotton sateen from Mood online, lined with my Bemburg rayon from Joann's. I am not planning on making that little capelet to go over the dress, and I am even debating keeping the little capped sleeves, but I will test those out in the muslin.

My dress fabric - a very shiny cotton sateen (black)

After that I am thinking I might make the button-down shirt. I have been debating and wavering between several patterns (an older BWOF and the newer Vogue 8747 among them), but I have finally settled on a McCall's pattern:

M6035

Currently I am debating between the version with the drawstring sleeves (blue) and the version with the rolled cuffs and sleeve tabs (pink), though I am leaning a bit towards the drawstring version. I am planning on using some of my $1.99 cotton poplin I got from last year's Fabric Mart sales...

Thinking about using one of the cottons on the left...

So far my basic wardrobe pieces have been sort of dark (black and grey), and I am thinking that using a brighter color could be a great piece for the transition to spring. I am going to try to make a "wearable muslin" from some red tag Joann's fabric, so I might make one sleeve version in the muslin and another in the real thing. Not sure yet... need to finish my coat and the dress first.

So anyway, that's what's up with my challenge. I will post more updates soon!

Sewing Challenge Update - Raincoat Progress

2012-02-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

I thought I would do an update post about my raincoat project. While I had hoped to be almost finished by now, a change in patterns did push the project back a bit. However, I thought it might be good to show a bit of my progress so far so you can see the innards of the coat.

First, I added about two inches in width to the back pattern piece below the waist. I did a slash and spread instead of getting out the pattern and re-tracing and grading it up. From the muslin it was pretty easy to see that the lower back needed more width so that the side seam would lay straight:

Muslin - you can see the seam being pulled back

Adjusted side seam - much better!

Also, I finally got my Etsy-purchased vintage buckles in the mail! Scale is an odd thing in photos, so I ended up buying a few lots of buckles from the same seller. Most of them are too small (at least for this project), but I did find a green one that was just the right size. It came with a prong which I removed with some pliers (no holes in my fabric belt). Part of me feel bad for "destroying" the vintage buckle. The rest of me is happy that I have a belt. The latter part is winning.

Coat with my vintage belt buckle!

Based on the buckles that came, I decided on the smaller circle pattern buttons:

Green and blue - matching the fabric and the buckle!

I already made a boo-boo and I put the sleeve tab on the wrong side of the sleeve, but since this fabric doesn't take well to punctures and it isn't a make or break sort of a problem, I decided to just leave it.

This project would be moving a bit faster, but I have to spend forever and a day ironing on my seam-sealing tape. Not that it takes a long time to seal, I just have lots of seams to deal with. It makes the seams look a bit more puckery than I would like (the seams look great without it, the teflon presser foot is great on this rubberized material), but water-proofing is slightly more important than having it look perfect.

Inside view of the tape sealed seams

I have finished the main shell of the coat and the lining so far, so now I have to work on the fiddly bits like the collar and such. Something to do next weekend...

The lining - it is not exciting, but I thought
this fabric might do well if it gets wet.

Not to jinx anything, but so far I like the way it is going. Although I am sort of concerned that the intense blue color might make me look like a Smurf or a CSI lab tech. I mean, I love the color, but, well, there is a lot of blue.

So you can see, I am sewing, but I won't have a project to show for a while at least. Usually I am happy while I am working on a project, but I want to get this one done so I can wear it, so the sewing is seeming a bit tedious at the moment. Well, maybe not the sewing, but the seam sealing is for sure. Anyway, can't wait to get more finished so I can show it off. More to come later!

Newsflash - PatternReview Best of 2011

2012-02-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

PatternReview has announced the Best Patterns of 2011. This is one of the most popular posts each year, highlighting the previous year's most popular patterns.

For 2011 the top spots have gone mainly to dresses and tops. It is no surprise that Vogue 1250 (sisterhood of the magical dress pattern) took the top spot, and I was also not surprised to see the Collette Sorbetto top, or the Simplicity 2497 Cynthia Rowley dress. I was also sort of pleased to see the McCall's 6078 draped top, since I recently used the pattern (for a second time) as part of my sewing challenge.

V1250 - I bought this pattern because of all the great reviews.

However, I do have to say I am a bit sad that there were no jackets, pants, or even separate skirt patterns among these choices. I almost sort of wish that Pattern Review would have several categories (outerwear, pants, skirt, fancy dress, casual dress, knit tops, non-knit tops, overall best pattern of the year). Also, the Sorbetto was the only non-Big4 to crack the top, and I wish there might have been more patterns from other brands represented.

On the one hand, I agree that the people like what the people like, and if everyone is sewing up Vogue dresses they should be listed, but on the other hand, if you don't want to make a drapey dress then there isn't much to be gained from reading this list. Perhaps there should be two posts - the Best Patterns, separated by category, and Most Popular Patterns, which would be based simply on number of (favorable) reviews posted. This would give a much better cross section of available patterns, as well as highlighting what is popular among the PR readers. I don't know. I suppose with so many fabulous bloggers posting about new patterns and finished projects there isn't really too much of a chance of us missing out on something really good. But I still wish this best-of list would be a bit more representative of all the great patterns, silhouettes, and styles that were popular in 2011.

Book Review: A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style

2012-02-06T17:07:00.000-08:00

This year I have decided to give myself a Tim Gunn inspired sewing challenge, based on his short lived television series, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. However, when my mother recently got his book, A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style, I simply had to "borrow" it and read it first.

This book was released about the same time his show's first season aired, so many of the ideas contained within are prevalent in the show, although the list of essential items is slightly different and less geared towards television editing and serve as more general guidelines for everyday life. Since this book is sort of part of the inspiration of my year-long challenge I am going to write an in-depth review in case I should need to refer to it later. As such, I think the best way to review this book is to provide an overview chapter by chapter.

1. Who You Are. In this section Tim (and Kate Moloney, the co-author) discuss the importance of dressing for your lifestyle and personality, and how that can change over time. In this section Tim discusses the importance of "Make it work!" in terms of your wardrobe (ie, you don't need to buy something new for every occasion), that it is ok to have a personal "uniform" as long as your clothes fit - both in terms of sizing and in terms of appropriateness. He discusses how critically looking at clothes/fashion and figuring out why you do or don't like something is more helpful in determining a personal style than simply rejecting it out of hand. Finally, Tim cautions readers to avoid potential problems like age appropriateness, sloppiness (aka the comfort trap), and craziness (aka the costume trap). I found that reading with Tim Gunn's voice in my head made this much more enjoyable - the book is written as though he is giving a lecture, and reading it as I would normally read a non-fiction book didn't really give the full effect. As far as my sewing challenge goes - I feel like I took on this challenge (partially) to get out of "the comfort trap" as well as because I am at a point where my sense of style and self is evolving. I feel like sewing started me on the path of critically looking at clothes and wanting to develop a personal style, so I pretty much agree with what Tim had to say and I am currently working on implementing it.

2. The Fit Conundrum. Tim cautions readers against wearing clothes that are too big or too small, and to not worry about the size on a label (avoid getting sucked in by vanity sizing). He also discusses the importance of proper proportion and achieving a desired silhouette. As far as my challenge goes, I am hoping a pile of muslins will help me avoid the fit issues he discusses, although it will still be important to think about proportion when wearing the pieces I will be making.

3. Diagnosing the Common Closet. In this section, Tim discusses how (and why) we should all take a good long look at what is hanging around in our house, and what we should do about it. The goal is to have a closet full of clothes that will help you project the image you want for any given occasion. He suggests you go through you closet and make 4 piles: the soul-stirrers (clothes you love, anything truly magnificent, clothes you may need if you are going through rapid shape change like pregnancy), the repairs (Tim suggests you have 5 days to fix things, but for us home-sewers who hate mending I think at least a month is more appropriate), the give-away (expensive items of questionable choice, items you never wear, once trendy items you think might come back in style, items you own in overwhelming quantity), and the throw-away (items that do not fit, work clothes you hate, emotional items you would never wear). He suggests that for a week after cleaning the closet, you wear at least one "soul-stirring" item per day, as people tend to "save" things they love instead of actually using them. On one hand, I know I need to go through my closet and get rid of (the many) clothes that no longer fit. On the other hand, that would, at this point, leave me with so few clothes that I don't know if I would last the week. I have become much more anal about fit now that I sew, and length issues on tops and gaping waistbands on pants are no longer tolerated. I think this part of the challenge will have to wait until after I finish sewing up some more clothes - perhaps this will act as my right of passage after I have finished the challenge?

4. The Fashion Mentor: Beyond Audrey. In this chapter Tim discusses different sources of inspiration for creating your own style, and how you may have to experiment a bit to figure out what fits you and your lifestyle. He discusses various looks (classic, sexy, youthful, bohemian, rock, etc.) and discusses who to look for as inspiration and what sort of "signature look" helps to convey this image to the rest of the world. I found reading this chapter to be a bit on the dull side - perhaps because I have missed most of the style references? Or perhaps because I have little interest in pulling off rocker or bohemian looks. In any case, I found myself thinking that as home sewers we have the best of all worlds - we can draw inspiration from modern and historical sources, as well as from each other. There are some truly fabulous seamstresses out there, and I find myself inspired by their sense of style as much as the Hollywood starlets and political figures of our time. (Though, I must say, if I had to choose one fashion mentor at the moment it would probably have to be Lady Catherine. Probably a bit cliche to say it, but I honestly do think "I would wear that" whenever I see pictures of her. Of course, I don't think my wardrobe has to be quite as proper, nor do I have the need for all the gowns and formalwear, but, as pointed out by Tim, the mentor is someone who should inspire, not someone to copy.)

5. Shoulders Back: Style from the Inside Out. In this chapter Tim discusses proper posture and skin care. He makes the point that it doesn't matter how well the clothes fit if the person wearing them moves or stands awkwardly. He points out that proper footwear is important to easy movement, and that having proper posture is something that one should work to improve constantly (as a figure skater I couldn't agree more). He also promotes a simple but effective skin care regimen (wash, moisturize, eye cream, lip balm, brush teeth, and bed), as well as pointing out the importance of hair care in the quest for style. I have to admit, this is an area I need to work on, though I don't plan on getting a fancy hair cut anytime soon. But focusing a bit more on my posture and skin care shouldn't take too much extra effort.

6. Preparing to Shop. Ah, getting to the good stuff! This is where Tim discusses what he considers to be part of a well rounded closet, which is the basis of my sewing challenge! Though he elaborates a bit more in the book than in the TV show, and has a few slightly different recommendations:

(1) The Trench-ish Coat. Tim discusses the military history of the trench, its versatility as a styling option, and the variety in lengths and styles. He notes that many have removable linings so that it can be worn year-round (not a bad idea for my challenge!), and points out that it needs to be functional for where you live (consider weather-proofing, warmth, length, etc.). As far as my challenge goes, I am working on a rain trench now, and have plans for a more classic one in the future. I really like making coats, so I can totally see myself making more in various color and length options in the future.

(2) The Sweat Suit Alternative. Tim agrees that most people need to have something comfortable that they can put on and run errands in. However, he cautions that for too many people it ends up looking like work-out clothes and sweatsuits. For winter weather he suggests things like cashmere pants (hahaha, yeah right), slim black pants, or dark jeans with V-neck sweaters, cardigans, and crisp T-shirts. For summer weather he recommends linen pants and simple T-shirts (with optional cardigans for the strongly air-conditioned indoors). For my sewing challenge I was planning on a linen pant and simple jersey top, since winter is more mild here. Although I can see the versatility of a great cardigan, so I might think about adding that to my challenge plans.

(3) The Boot, The Pump, the Ballet Flat. Tim recommends a great boot (in any style) in black, brown, or dark green to be used with fall looks. He also recommends a classic pump (smaller heel, pointed toe) as an alternative to the more common strappy heel (I don't know that this is the case anymore - strappy shoes seem slightly less ubiquitous now than a few years ago). The ballet flat seems to be Tim's suggestion for an every-day shoe - he promotes its appeal with a wide-legged trouser as well as pointing out that it would make a great shoe for comfortable travel. As far as the challenge goes, obviously I won't be making shoes. But this does give me a bit to think about in terms of what shoes I own, what I would wear them with, and what sorts of shoes I should consider buying in the future.

(4) The Shapely Jacket and the Go-Anywhere Top. Tim points out that the jacket is one of the best ways to create a look for your personal style - there are so many variations in fabric and shape that it really can say something about who you want to be. As for the top, Tim suggests that it can be a button down, a knit, or a tank for summer. Having multiple colors can be helpful as well. While my challenge calls for only one Go-Anywhere top, it also calls for a button down shirt, and I will be making another top as part of my Sweatsuit Alternative. I expect that I might want to make some extra tops this year as well, to fill in my wardrobe. As for the jacket - I have one planned in a more classic shape, but a less classic color. Recently I have been really digging the blazer with jeans look, so even if I only manage to get one sewn up this year, it should at least give me a feel for if I want to make more in the future.

(5) Signature Jewelry. By this Tim means two things - first a signature piece that is a dominant accessory to your outfit. A large cocktail ring, statement earrings, a bold cuff, or a long necklace. The second meaning is more of a personal statement piece - that charm bracelet you always wear, your grandmother's earrings, etc. Tim points out that a watch can act as a great signature piece, but cautions readers to resist trendy "of the moment" jewelry (those Tiffany heart bracelets, for example). I had a signature piece, but it isn't really appropriate to wear it anymore, so I don't really have anything "signature" at the moment. Accessorizing is definitely an area where I could put more thought into things, so this is something I will have to think about in the future.

(6) The Under Arsenal. While Tim doesn't go into much depth in this area he does point out that "[y]our underwear drawer should be like a Boy Scout, always prepared." He highlights this importance of having nude options that can be worn under thin fabrics. As far as sewing goes - I have no plans to sew underwear, but I have recently educated myself on how to find properly fitted undergarments, so I think I am pretty well covered (tee-hee-hee) on this front.

(7) The Day Dresses. Tim suggests that every closet needs at least two. These are great day-to-evening transition pieces, and he points out that a wrap dress can have a casual day vibe with a camisole worn underneath, and a more daring evening look with the cami removed. Many of the patterns I have been considering for my challenge are wrap styles, so at least I am on the right track there! I don't often wear dresses, so I am going to start with the goal of making one, and going on from there.

(8) The After-Five Look. Aka the cocktail dress. While the LBD takes the cake, tuxedo pants are another options. I do plan on making a LBD as part of my challenge, so I think this will be covered.

(9) The New, Cheap, Terribly Trendy Item. Tim suggests sources such as Forever 21 and H&M. He thinks that these items shouldn't cost more than around $20, and if they start to take over your closet you need to cut yourself off. I can only assume Tim is talking about things like Yeti vests and furry leg warmers. Which I usually see (and make fun of) in Burda magazines before I see (then turn around to avoid pointing and laughing at) on the street. Or in the grocery store. You know. Wherever. For some reason I just can't seem to buy into the trend-chasing fashion of the moment sort of idea, but then again, I am making an allowance for one crazy trendy item in my sewing challenge, so, well, that is something I guess.

(10) Denim. Tim suggest having at least two pairs - one for dressing up and one for running around in. If denim is part of your "uniform" (I think he is looking at all us college kids here) then more pairs are acceptable, but no more than ten. He notes that denim trends tend to last for around 2 years, so he points out that you should buy less expensive versions of the "trendy" styles and invest in better quality for something that is your personal favorite style (even if it may not be the trend of the moment).

As an end-note to the chapter, Tim points out that you should spend more on basic items you will wear often, as cheaper items will need more frequent repair or replacement.

7. Let's Go: Shopping at Last! In this chapter Tim discusses why we shop, and how we should shop. He points out that to shop more wisely we should shop less. He discusses how one should consider if a piece is seasonally appropriate (your winter holiday dress should not be made of cotton - unless, you know, you live on the other side of the Equator), if the form matches the function (yes, the shoe is pretty, but can you walk in it?), and how one should shop around for similar items (don't let brand and marketing sway you - pants are pants, and as long as they look good who cares about the label?). He warns against going too far with adventurous pieces (love it in the store and hate it at home), and resisting the temptation of going crazy at outlet stores (if you are looking for something specific buy it, but don't buy things you don't need), as well as point out the fact that one is far less likely to find amazingly inexpensive quality name-brand vintage clothing in vintage stores today. He cautions readers about the use of clothespins on manequins and how it can distort the shape, especially for online purchases. Lastly, he warns against using shopping as a way to deal with stress, noting that a new cardigan won't solve the root of the problem. As far as my sewing challenge goes - this chapter was interesting (as he mentions how shopping has changed over the years), but it isn't directly applicable as I will be sewing my clothes instead of buying them from a store. However, it is good advice for any shopping situation, and hopefully I can apply his words of wisdom to my shopping habits in the future.

8. Accessories: Say No to the "It" Bag. In this section Tim discusses how the accessories should work with your clothes to create an overall look. He points out that a designer handbag is the easiest way to show off with a status symbol, which is fine if it goes with your outfit. However, it just looks ridiculous to carry a $400 leather purse when you are wearing gym clothes. Like the clothes in your closet, Tim suggests having several bags to choose from - the workhorse (everyday work-appropriate bag), a summer bag (canvas or other lightweight woven type material), and an evening clutch (black is the safest bet. As far as shoes go, Tim recommends two pairs of boots (one dressy, one casual), a pair of flats that can go with anything, and one pair of super fancy evening shoes. Other accessories discussed include pashminas, silk scarves, and perfumes. While I don't really think any of these later items would go with my personal style, I do think I could be more mindful of my handbag selection.

9. Not Your Everyday Occasion. This chapter discusses appropriate attire for more formal occasions and dressing to meet expectations. Tim points out that technically correct attire may not be in sync with modern expectations. White Tie affairs are the absolute in formality - white ties with tails for the guys and full-length gowns for the ladies, no exceptions. He discusses the various levels of black tie (for ladies this can mean dressy cocktail through evening gown), what to wear to an office party (setting is key here), California casual, and what to wear for warmth (dressy trench coat, fur stoles, etc.). Tim says that it is now acceptable to have a dress hem peaking out from under your coat, but that it isn't his favorite look. For weddings he suggests doing some cultural research, avoiding white, and covering your shoulders during the ceremony (I had not heard of this rule, but now I know!). He points out that you should always plan ahead for travel to avoid over packing (you probably want extra space to bring things back), and to bring clothes you like to wear. You might want to think of a theme to your travel wardrobe so that all of your pieces will work together. For vacations to beach resorts it is permissible to bring multiple bathing suits, with a few cover ups and sandals. Bring extra gear for hiking or athletic activities. Personally I found this chapter to be quite informative in terms of understanding various dress codes. I don't know that it has changed any of my sewing challenge plans, but it will be handy reference for the future.

10. Appendices. In this section Tim lists a few stylish movies, and provides a brief fashion glossary.

Overall assessment: I am glad I read this book, but mostly because of the sewing challenge I have created for myself. I don't know if I would classify this book as a must-read, but it is sort of fun to see the world of fashion from Tim Gunn's perspective. Probably the most helpful parts of the book are decoding dress codes and planning out what one should have in their wardrobe. I found myself agreeing with many of the things he said, but not much of it was new information. If you are a die-hard Tim Gunn fan it is a fun read, but if you already have a sense of personal style, then I don't know how helpful it would be.

Good Luck at Joann's

2012-02-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

I wasn't planning on going back to Joann's this weekend, but I figured it was worth a shot looking for the new Vogue patterns, and I got lucky! Found all the new ones on my list, in the size I wanted. I am really happy that it seems Vogue is finally putting sizes 12/14 in the same envelope for most of these patterns, which is great for me as I often have a hard time choosing between those sizes. Anyway, here is what I picked up:

V1280

V1281

V1289

V1293

V8787

V8789

By the way, is it me, or do most of these models have really bad 80s hair? What is up with that?

While I was there I also picked up a few other things:

More thread...

Pretty lining fabric - Bemburg rayon on the left, poly print on the right

So I am pretty excited that I was able to find the new patterns already, and I am also pretty excited with the lining fabrics I bought. Right now I am in the middle of working on the raincoat (everything is finally cut and ready to sew), but black Bemburg should be making an appearance soon when I get working on my LBD. I will post more updates when I have more finished on my coat!

2012 Sewing Challenge - Item Number 2 Completed

2012-02-04T19:27:00.000-08:00

After my pants I was planning on working on my raincoat, but a bad first choice of patterns delayed that a bit. While I was working on tracing and muslining my second version, I decided I would make one of the quicker items on my sewing challenge list - the any occasion top. What made it even quicker is the fact that I made a version of this top last year, McCall's 6078:

M6078

I won't be posting a full review here, as my previous review is still pretty accurate. For my sewing challenge I made view B - the draped front and plain back. This time I made a size small all over, and I added 2 inches to the length. Here are some pictures with my sewing challenge pants:

From the front...

And the back...

Back close up - the flash made the wrinkled look weird.
They don't look like that in person.

Another shot of the front.

I used a black rayon spandex from Joann, which I love because it is so soft and comfy! I also used my serger for the main seam construction this time, which made the construction super fast (probably about an hour total to sew it up). Overall I am really happy with the finished top, and I think it will be great for layering under jackets and working with other yet-to-be-made pieces of my sewing challenge. The only thing I would change for the future is raising the underarm slightly, maybe about half an inch, as I often feel like there is too much exposure there on many of my tank tops.

Anyway, while I was making view B for my challenge, I decided I might as well make another copy of view A, which has the super low back:

View A back - I am wearing a tank underneath
for modesty sake at the moment.

View A front - I like the sleeves on this version

Another shot of the back

This version is (obviously) less of a any-occasion top and much more of a fancy evening/party top. Because of the draping in the back I don't know how well it would work under a fitted jacket, and it is very much not work appropriate. But I really wanted one, so I made it. View A takes a bit longer to sew as there are more pieces, more pleats, and more fabric to deal with, but it can still be made in just a few hours. Ideally, I would love to get a backless bra to wear under it for a more dramatic effect, but I would also probably need some tape to keep the shoulders in place. For right now I think I will go with my modesty tank. I know these tops are similar, but I am happy I have both of them as I think they will be great to have for different occasions.

In any case, now that I have 2 of my Sewing Challenge items done and my alterations all sorted out, the raincoat will be the major project for the next few weekends. I am hoping to have it completed by the middle of the month. At that point I will decide what my next few challenge items will be, although we are heading into the time when I am going to need to start thinking about sewing dresses for this summer's skating competitions, though I am hoping to get at least one (maybe two) more non-skating items completed before I take a break from the challenge to work on those. Will post more updates on my plans as I get to them!

Pattern Sales: Butterick and Vogue

2012-02-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Joann stores will be having more pattern sales Friday February 3 - Sunday February 5:

*$1.99 Butterick
*$3.99 Vogue
*50% off all thread
*50% off Olfa rotary cutting supplies
*50% off "Simply Silky Prints" - great for linings
*40% off Lisette fabrics (a favorite of many home sewers)

Don't know that I will be popping in for anything, but there are some good sales here.

Newsflash - Burda March Early Preview Posted

2012-02-01T10:02:00.000-08:00

BurdaStyle Germany has posted the first preview of the March 2012 issue! As expected, March is the transition to spring, with lots of florals and pastel colors. Although it is often hard to tell from the preview, I have to say that, so far, I am liking this issue! I haven't seen anything I love, but I have seen lots of things I like:

I want to see the line drawing for this jacket!

The scalloped shirt is interesting, and I like the jacket too!

Same as the blue one above, but I still really like it.

I am still not into the sack dress, but I like the subtle spring colors here.

I know its a sack, but I like the lace overlay sleeves.

I really really like this dress.

A first glimpse at Burda's version of the Pippa dress?

So far I have been intrigued - can't wait to see what else Burda has in store for this month! What is everybody else feeling so far - will March be chic and classic or boring and frumpy?

Newsflash - My Image Spring/Summer 2012 Announced

2012-02-01T00:13:00.000-08:00

My Image is one of the newer European sewing magazines, so I don't know how many people are die-hard followers as of yet. I was lucky enough to get the first three issues from my sister when she came back from Europe for the holidays. I haven't made anything as of yet, but I must say that their coats look fabulous. I tend to be more excited by their Fall/Winter issues, but they do have a few cute dresses and tops. You can browse the latest issue of the magazine here.

The latest edition

I am liking dress 1216

And dress 1205

Another simple dress, but I like it.

I also like this cute summer jacket.

Also, the producers of My Image magazine will be releasing their own pattern line, Imagewear Patterns, in March. Should be interesting to see what they come up with. In the meantime, I will have to test out some of the My Image patterns for myself.

Has anyone else tried the My Image patterns? I know that the M1005 top has been quite popular on Pattern Review, but I was wondering if anyone has tried any of their more complicated patterns? It seems the longer I look at their designs, the more I find I like, so I am thinking I will (possibly) be making quite a few of the My Image patterns up in the near(-ish) future.

Newsflash - English BurdaStyle Website Creative Director is Leaving

2012-01-30T21:51:00.000-08:00

Alison Dahl, the Creative Director and Editor of the BurdaStyle website (English version) is leaving. You can read her good-bye post here. She has been working with BurdaStyle since 2007, and was the author/creative director of the BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook.

A few thought about what this could mean for us Burda fans:

(1) She mentions "structural changes" as being the main reason for her departure. I am rather curious as to what these changes might entail. The English Burda website has always stood out as being radically different from the other Burda websites. Of course, I only found this website after the major changes happened a few years ago, so I can only compare the current iteration with those versions from other countries, and not with previous versions of itself. However, it has always struck me as odd that the English Burda website has next to no mention of their magazines or envelope patterns. It was months before I realized I they were more than a download service. I always wonder how many sales they lose simply because the information isn't readily available? I am hoping that these suposed "structural changes" will include having more information and previews about the magazines and envelope patterns. I don't mind searching for things on the German and Russian websites, but sometimes I feel a little bit sad and left out that we don't have the same previews and announcements in English.

(2) I am hoping there might be additional features added for searching user projects. Right now the organizational structure is minimal, at best. As a company, I would think BurdaStyle might want to highlight projects made using BurdaStyle patterns as a way to boost pattern sales, although I do know that they have the "Make It" label for such things. I hope they still let users post projects though - it has been a great way to boost the activity of the online sewing community.

(3) Perhaps they will finally offer more of the Burda patterns as downloads? The German Burda website offers over 1500 of the magazine patterns for download, dating back to around 2009, with a few as early as 2006. Having digital downloads of a pattern seems like it would be a great way to still make money from OOPs and other older patterns.

What about all the other BurdaStyle users out there - what are you hoping comes out of this structural change? How do you think BurdaStyle can improve, and what do you want them to keep around for the future?

Pattern Review: Simplicity 9887

2012-01-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

This is yet another of my older projects that I wanted to post to my blog in order to keep a more complete catalog of finished items. Since I am obsessed with The Wheel of Time book series, I have long wanted to make myself costumes from these books. One of the most recognizable costumes is that of the Aes Sedai (the power-wielding characters from the books). In their organization's structure, someone who is learning to use the Power starts off as a Novice and is only allowed to wear white dresses. Once they are deemed worthy and pass a test, they are moved on to the Accepted level, and their gowns are adorned in stripes of the seven colors representing the seven sects (or Ajahs) of their society. I decided that I would first make a cape for the Accepted (since it would be easier) and then later make the dress. I have since decided that I want to use a different fabric and re-do this costume, but I thought I would still post the version that I have completed, which was made from Simplicity 9887:

Simplicity 9887

My version is based both on what I had envisioned when I read the story, but also on the artwork from New Spring the graphic novel.

The inspiration for my design

And here is what I made:

My Accepted cape

The neck closure is a button and gold trim loop

A view of the hood

The colors of the Aes Sedai - Brown, Grey, White, Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue

As a side note, I realize that in the drawing the color order is Brown, White, Grey, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and my color order is Brown, Grey, White, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue. The color order I have used is actually more accurate and is the one described in the books. I spent quite a while researching it before I actually started on my costume. It is also documented in this article. So, technically, I am right and the picture is wrong, just in case anyone was wondering.

Here is my official review:

Pattern description: Hooded cape variations. Included variations of length and sleeves or no sleeves. I made a full length version with no sleeves (view D).

Pattern sizing: (XS-S-M-L-XL). I made a medium, though in the future I would probably make a small or extra small because I found the shoulders to be a bit too broad for me.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, very easy. Pattern is pretty simple to make.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, very much so.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really like all the variations available with this pattern, although the versions with sleeves use a LOT of fabric. I think this is a great pattern to make a variety of costume pieces. No dislikes.

Fabric used: White lycra spandex. I know this is a weird material to make a cape out of, but I was able to find a lot of it for a cheap price in a bargain bin, so I thought it would be good for costume making. I would really like to make this again in a more realistic looking fabric. I also used satin ribbon for trim. I glued the trim on, but next time I want to sew the ribbons together, and then sew that onto the front of the cape, as it will probably look neater and be more durable.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: I didn't want a seam going around the shoulders, so I simply cut out the fabric with the two pieces overlapped to make one continuous piece. Also, I added the trim and changed the closure a bit, and I omitted the tassel that was supposed to go on the hood, but these are minor changes in order to re-create the costume I was trying to make.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, I will totally sew this again! I want to re-make the costume piece I already made in a different fabric, but I think this is the perfect pattern for a lot of costumes, so I plant to use this again quite extensively in the future. I highly recommend this pattern, as it has a lot of great options and many sizes.

Conclusion: Great costume pattern!

A muslin and Sewing Space Update

2012-01-28T18:28:00.000-08:00

First off I want to say thanks to everyone who commented on my last post! I really like being part of the online sewing community - such a great way to find sources of materials as well as inspiration and support. I decided to get some vintage buckles on Etsy because I want a color for this project, but I do have plans to order some of the awesome looking leather style buckles for some of my future projects (thinking ahead to the Classic Trench part of my sewing challenge).

I just finished the muslin for my new raincoat pattern, Burda 7360:

My revised pattern choice

Here is how it looks on me, a straight size 40:

The front - a much better fit in the shoulders.
But too small in the hips, though that can be fixed.

I should have pulled the back down a bit lower for the picture...
Though I think it pulls up a bit in the back because I need more space around my hips.

The back - I think the shoulders look pretty good.

Overall I think this is going to be a much better pattern than the last one I chose. As far as adjustments go, I think I need to add +1" length at the top lengthen line, and possibly 1-2" at the lower lengthen line (because I want a slightly longer coat). The sleeve length seems ok, but the pockets need to be raised (probably 1.5" because of the extra length I will be adding). All of this in addition to grading out to a size 42 (or 44) below the waist. With any luck I can have the rest of the prep work (pattern alterations, fabric cutting, etc) done and be ready to sew by next weekend.

In the mean time I am hoping to whip up some tops, but there are some skating events this weekend, so I don't know if those will get done or not.

Also, I thought I would show some updated pictures of my new sewing space. My mom cleaned out some shelves and made room for a pressing board! Here are some new pictures:

Sewing machine and serger (I cover them during the week when I am not here)
Bookshelves with sewing books
And a pressing board on the right!

Here is my sewing library!

Bottom shelf - general technique, couture techniques, fitting, and machine operation books.

Top shelf - fabric guides and project books.
Eventually I want to add books on fashion history as well.

So what I really want to say it, Thanks Mom! I really like my new sewing space. I miss having everything all together, but so far it has been working out alright with transporting the projects back and forth.

In any case I am hoping I might get some sewing done tonight, but even if I don't I can at least have a lot of stuff ready to go for next weekend.

Joann's Haul and a Rant

2012-01-27T19:31:00.000-08:00

So I went looking for patterns and I got 4 that were on my list. Mostly a bunch of tops that I saw made up on Pattern Review and really liked:

M6513 - From the latest McCall's collection

V8670 - This past December I decided I need a turtleneck for next December.

V8699 - I saw this on PR and it looked so much better than the drawing.

And my pretty:

V1154 - It caught my eye and followed me home.

As expected, no new Vogue patterns as of yet. Maybe in time for the next sale, but I won't plan on finding those for at least another month.

I any case, I also got a few other things while I was there...

Button possibilites for the raincoat.

Pretty sequin fabric!

So, I did spend a bit more than I intended to, but that blue fabric is gorgeous! I am happy it came home with me, and now I have to weigh whether it will be used for a skating costume or a party dress. Decisions, decisions...

So that was the happy part of my day. Now for the rant...

One thing I went looking for at Joann's was a 3-bar belt slider (2" long), and I couldn't find any! I thought for sure this would be an easy find at Joann's, but no. So, like any modern seamstress, I turned to the internets for help... and again I was failed! I searched for "tri-glide slider" and "plastic belt buckle" and was pretty darned disappointed. I mean, if you want to order 10,000 from China you can get cool things like this:

Fun sparkly belt buckles

But when you are looking for individual units your options are the rather utilitarian:

Meh.

The options I have been left with are: (1) try to find a vintage shop that still sells those 80s t-shirt buckles (remember when we could pick these things up for $0.25 at the mall?) or (2) look for vintage buckles on Etsy and Ebay. If anyone else has an good ideas please feel free to comment - several hours on the internet has left me at my wit's end! Actually, to be fair, I spent way more than a "few" hours searching and let's just say last night's sleep totals to about 2 hours. Yeah. I do tend to get obsessively fixated on things, especially when they are related to sewing. And I know these things must exist - I did find a few options at Fashion Fabrics Club and my other online sources, but they all were full of rhinestones or looked like carved wood which is not the look I am going for. I am really hoping for something plastic, since this will be a raincoat and I don't want the water to damage the buckle. In any case, if you have any good ideas please help!

I suppose it depends on the buckle I find, but any opinions on my button choices are welcome:

Right now I am digging the swirly buttons on the left - they are clear plastic, so they pick up a bit of the fabric color and look like they match perfectly! However, I am also liking the green/blue circle buttons too. Originally I had thought I would find a gold belt buckle, but now that that is turning into such a hassel I am glad I got some alternative choices, and I doubt the gold buttons will end up on this project.

Also, another thought - I am debating about the closure method on this raincoat. The pattern (muslin is in progress at the moment), has a hidden button placket, which I might be ok using with the blue/green circle buttons (3 will be visible when closed), but I wouldn't want to waste the cool swirly buttons if you can't see them. However, I am also pondering going with my original plan of fabric covered snaps, and just sewing the buttons to the outside for decorative purposes. I suppose I should test out a buttonhole on the rubber fabric before I make any real decisions on this front (heck, I should just finish the muslin!), but I like to plan ahead with the sewing projects to I know what I am doing.

In any case, feel free to chime in about buttons, buckles, or thoughts about the jacket closure. Or any other sewing things that have been bothering you lately. What sewing notions do you have a hard time finding?

Pattern Review: Simplicity 5840

2012-01-27T12:52:00.000-08:00

Alright, so this is a project I completed quite some time ago, while I was still in my "everything I sew must be a costume" phase. But in an effort to have a mostly complete record of my sewing adventures posted to this blog I thought I would post this pattern review.

Simplicity 5840

When I made this I wanted a general purpose fantasy style cloak that I could wear with the fantasy style costumes I was wanting to make. I found the velvet fabric at a Joann's Red Tag sale, so I paid only $4.50/yard for the main fabric (which is a good price for velvet, even though this is not the best quality), and the lining fabric was $2/yard. The trim was a bit of a splurge, but I think it really makes the piece, so I am happy I bought it.

My blue velvet cloak!

The clasp fastener

My fancy trim

The hood

Open view - you can see the lining on the left.

Overall I was really pleased with this project when I made it, and now I think it is possibly one of my favorite costume pieces I made. While I don't know how much I would wear the dresses I made (now they are too big and I can see the many fit issues), I would totally wear this if there was occasion for it.

Although it has been a while since I made this here is my attempt at a pattern review:

Pattern Description: Hooded capes with sleeves and men's fantasy costumes. I made the hooded cape view B.

Pattern Sizing: (XS-S-M-L-XL). It has been a while since I made this, but I think I made a Medium. If I were going to make it again I would make a Small because I have lost some weight since them. Also, there is a generous amount of ease, which is good for the cape, especially if you are going to wear it over another costume piece that has slightly bulky sleeves.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, very easy. It is a fairly simple pattern so there isn't anything too complicated.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, very much! Actually more than usual because I chose a very similar color to the envelope picture.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I really loved that this pattern had sleeves. And it was nice that all sizes were included together. Also, I think all of the variations available in this pattern are great - it would be perfect for making a Jedi costume, though that is not what I used it for. No dislikes.

Fabric used: For the outside I used velvet, and I lined it with a polyester lining. I also used very wide decorative trim.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: I changed the location of the trim slightly, since I used a larger trim and didn't want it going around the back. Also, I added a lining which wasn't called for in the original pattern.

Would you sew this again? Would you recommend this to others? Yes, if I decided I needed or wanted another cloak with sleeves then I would definitely use this pattern again. I think the pattern is great and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to make a fantasy type costume.

Conclusion: Great pattern! It is hard to find a cloak with sleeves, and this pattern worked out just perfectly. I love my finished version, and I would definitely use this pattern again in the future.

Newsflash - Spring Vogue Patterns Announced!

2012-01-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

The latest Vogues have been released and you can see them here. Overall I have to say that I think this is a pretty great collection - there are several patterns that I want to buy, and several others that are very similar to patterns that I have bought (I don't need another version, but I do like the style). In any case, some of the more notable styles:

V8801 - Men's jeans! Always nice to see a man's pattern that isn't scrubs.

V1282 - A Donna Karen Pattern I predict will take Pattern Review by storm

Here are my favorites, that I am going to put on my "to-buy" list:

V1280 - I love this dress!

Here is the line drawing - fabulous!

V1281 - I also love this dress!

Another one where I thought the line drawing sold me.

V1289 - another pretty dress

V1293 - I love the jacket!

V8787 - I wasn't impressed by the photo

But I love all the options included in the pattern!

V8789 - I don't usually go too vintage, but I LOVE this dress.

There is another Vogue pattern sale at Joann's in a few weeks - with any luck these might be in by then. Although in reality I am probably going to have to wait 2 sales cycles to get these. What are everyone else's favorites? Did I miss anything amazing?

Pattern Sales: McCall's and Vogue

2012-01-25T18:16:00.000-08:00

Thursday Jan. 26 - Saturday Jan. 28 Joann Fabrics will be having a sale on McCall's ($1.99) and Vogue ($3.99) patterns. Although the new McCall's patterns have been out for a while, this is the first time they will be on sale (at least in my area... we get patterns here very slowly), so I will probably go in and pick up one or two things.

Pattern Review: BS 10-2011-127

2012-01-23T20:40:00.000-08:00

I am excited to be posting the official review for my first completed project of my 2012 sewing challenge!

BS-10-2011-127

Readers of my blog know I have been obsessing over these Burda pants since last October, and finally I have a pair of my own:

My grey pants!

My attempt at posing...

Another front view

The back - the wrinkles near the waist are
where my shirt is tucked in, so actually
I think I got the fit near perfect and I like it.

Another view of the back waist - I love the fit!

The front closure - I should have sewed the hook a little closer to the end.
An easy fix if I decide it is necessary.

I am super pleased with my pants! I wore them to a conference the other day, as well as to a buffet lunch and sat in them for a 3 hour drive home. I am happy to report that they were incredibly comfortable, didn't bag at the set or knee, and, if I do say so myself, looked pretty darned good. Even better - I have about a yard of this fabric left over, so I am thinking I might be able to get a pencil skirt out of the remainder.

As much as I love these pants, though, I still think I prefer the Vogue 1051 pattern. This pattern hits a bit higher on the waist, which for me would be a bit uncomfortable if I hadn't used such a stretchy material. However, I am still going to call this pattern a TNT - are people allowed to have multiple TNTs for a certain type of clothing? Or is the idea that you have only one TNT for pants, for a dress, and for a shirt? Perhaps I am breaking some sort of rule here, but I guess I figured any pattern that you want to re-use multiple times could be considered TNT status.

In any case, here is my official review:

Pattern Description: Fitted trousers with flared leg and patch pockets.

Pattern Sizing: Burda sizes 36-44. I used a size 42 at the waist and 44 at the hip.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Mostly, yes. The most complicated parts are the pockets and the fly front. I didn't really read the instructions for the waistband as I have made several pairs of pants before, but those didn't look too overwhelming. I think it helped that I have made welt pockets before, and done fly fronts before using other instructions. I think it might be good to have alternative instructions if these are your first pair of pants. Also, I just want to mention that I did use the Burda instructions for installing the fly, and while I think I found the Vogue 1051 instructions easier (the other pants pattern I have used), I did get a flatter insertion with the Burda instructions. I know there are many good tutorials online and I think I should study those before I try pants again, just so I can see what other techniques are available.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? Yes, mostly. In my finalized version I left off the patch pockets because I didn't really like the way they looked in my muslin variation. I thought that the flare looked a bit more pronounced in the photograph, though probably it just seems that way because the model and such long legs and must be wearing very high heels.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Well, I loved the style of these pants when I saw them in the magazine, and I still really like it now that I have made them. I will say that the waistband is much higher than I am used to, but was still comfortable since I used stretchy fabrics. The only thing I didn't really like about this pattern were the pockets - when I made my muslin version I thought they weren't very flattering and the way they are inserted into the side seams made them pucker oddly.

Fabric used: A grey polyester/rayon/lycra blend from Hancock Fabrics. It was very stretchy and pretty soft, very comfortable to wear.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: Well, as for design changes I left off the pockets on my final version. As for alterations, I made quite a lot. First, I shortened the leg by 2 inches in the calf area. I have not had length problems with Burda pants in the past, but when I traced these I noticed they looked long, so I measured the in-seam. The extra length is all in the lower leg, so I assume Burda thought we would all be wearing these with super high heels. I took out the length mid-calf so that the proportion of the hips and the flare would be the same. My other alterations were in the center back seam - I took out 1/2 inch to deal with the gapatosis issue, but had to remove quite a bit through the entire center back seam to prevent a weird bubbling effect over my rear. I noticed that when I took in the waistband by the same amount it came out too short, so I might recommend adding a bit of length to the waistband if you don't need to make fit alterations in this area.

Would you sew this again? Would you recommend this to others? Yes to both! I really like the style of these pants, and I think they can be flattering to many people. The waistband is a bit higher than I am used to, but it is fairly comfortable in a stretchy material. I think my favorite pants pattern is still Vogue 1051, but this is a close second. I have a lot of patterns I want to test, so I don't know if I will be making another version of these soon, but I do like these and would love to have another version of these eventually.

Conclusion: Love these pants! This is a great pattern and I love the fit and style. I have been in love with this pattern since the magazine came out, and I very pleased with my finished results.

So that was the first garment of my sewing challenge - just 11 more to complete it! I had hoped to be starting the actual sewing of the raincoat next weekend, but my failure with the pattern muslin has pushed me back to the beginning of that project. Which is annoying because the weather is mocking me with some pretty bad rain storms this past weekend. In any case, I am still debating between patterns, but I am hoping I can have the new muslin ready to sew up next weekend. In the mean time, I am thinking I might cut out my "every occasion top" to sew that up next weekend. Since I have already used this pattern (McCall's 6078), it should be a quick project.

Sewing Challenge Update

2012-01-21T10:10:00.000-08:00

Alright, so I thought I would post an update on the progress of things for my 2012 sewing challenge. I finished the muslin for the Burda pants, and the fit was pretty good. I have decided I don't like the patch pockets - they are too stiff and make the pants pucker funny around my hips, which makes me look sort of wide. So I decided that in the final version I was going to leave the pockets off and just have a simple grey pant. Perhaps in the future I will add a different type of pocket, but for now I think the pocket-less style is most flattering since these are so fitted. I am glad I took out the extra length in the leg - the length is nearly perfect now. I also had to remove 1.5" in the center back seam as part of a swayback adjustment, but other than that I really like the style of these pants. And, actually the pocket-less version was very fast to sew up, so I now have finished pants! But no pictures yet, so the review will be happening a bit later.

Pants muslin - with pockets

Side view

Back view

Pocket close-up

I am still debating if I am going to finish these and make the "wearable" (as in, add a hook to the waistband). Not exactly a high barrier, but, well, I am lazy so it remains to be seen.

As for the raincoat, I am still at the muslin stage, as my first pattern choice was a bust!

Raincoat muslin - not a good fit

I think the back yolk is part of the problem

Usually I have a great fit right away with Burda, but with this muslin there were a lot of problems - the sleeves are too tight, the neck is to small, and despite the fact that the back is very billowy, it felt tight across the shoulder. Now, I could go up a size, but I think there would still be a lot of fit problems to deal with. I think that I don't love this pattern enough to deal with the hassel of making all these changes. Plus I have reconsidered the wisdom of attempting a set-in sleeve with the rubber-backed material, and I think to give myself a higher probability of success I might look for a raglan sleeve pattern instead. I am still planning on making a hood though (detachable or otherwise). At the moment I am debating between the following two patterns:

I would be making view A

Very similar style - I would have "fake" buttons and still use fabric covered snaps.
I do like that this one is a bit longer, though I could always add length to the first pattern.

In the mean time, I have done some experimenting with sewing, pressing, and water-proofing the seams on the rubber backed fabric. I am happy to report that with the teflon presser sheet and seam-sealing tape, I think the results will turn out to be quite spectacular.

A look at the seam-sealant tape after application
(I should perhaps use a little less heat as it seemed to
make the fabric color bleed/transfer a bit too much)

After pouring water on the seam it still beads up and rolls off the fabric - success!

All in all I am quite pleased with the seam sealing tape. This fabric doesn't really press well (you can see in first picture that is does crease, but doesn't stay folded), so I am thinking I may need to add topstitching to the pattern, in order to keep everything having a nice clean edge. More updates about pattern selections and full review for my pants to come later!

Newsflash - Spring New Look Patterns Announced

2012-01-21T02:00:00.000-08:00

Normally I am not a huge fan of the New Look collections, but I do think there are some cute designs in the new spring collection.

A few of my favorites:

I don't know if I will be buying any of these (New Look just tends to not fit me particularly well and I have to really LOVE something in order to deal with that many alterations), but I must say that these impress me much more than the Simplicity spring collection did when it was announced a while ago.

Old Sewing Projects - Toys

2012-01-20T15:22:00.000-08:00

In an effort to have this blog be as complete a list of sewing projects as possible, I thought I would post some of my older projects that I haven't shown off yet. When I fist started to sew I just wanted to make "fun" things - skating dresses, costumes, toys. Of course, now I have a lot of fun sewing all sorts of clothes and more "practical" things, so I suppose it is all relative. In any case, all of the toys I sewed were gifts.

For the teddy bears, I didn't actually make the bears (they are from Build-a-Bear Workshop), but I did sew their costumes! Just a word to the wise - never tell your girlfriend she can't buy more clothes for her bear. It can lead to a teddy hostage situation. As the accomplice, I made the clothes (she didn't buy them as they were a gift) so that the bears would look like their owner's favorite comic book characters, Dazzler and Captain America.

Dazzler and Captain America

Dazzler - the roller skating super hero

Captain America and his oven mits of justice!

Captain American close up

All of the bear clothes are self drafted, so I don't really have a pattern to review for their construction. I will say that sewing the Captain costume was a huge PITA - the metallic lame fabric broke 5 needles! 5! For a tiny toy costume! But, well, in the end it was worth it, as I think it looks pretty darned cool.

The other toy I made at this time was an Alot for my former roommate. The Alot is based upon this blog rant, which is really quite funny and was a huge hit with the English majors from my undergraduate school.

I like this Alot more

Alot cuter than you

Alot more dangerous

Thanks Alot!

The Alot is also a seft-drafted pattern, based on some of my own stuffed animals. I made all of these toys over a year ago, and haven't made many toy items since. While it is something I wouldn't mind doing again, right now I am more focused on sewing clothing items for myself. Perhaps it is "Alot" more selfish, but at the moment it is also "Alot" more fun.

Cool Ballroom Costume Video

2012-01-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

I was wasting time on YouTube and found this video about making costumes for ballroom dance. If you can get past the cheesy dancing in the intro, you can see some fabulous gowns being made.

Enjoy!

I won!

2012-01-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

I am the winner of the BurdaStyle Holiday Giveaway Day 12! Ok, so maybe this is sort of old news, but I didn't want to report anything here until I actually received my prize, and finally it is here!

Lots of books and a tote bag!

Now, I know one should not look a gift horse in the mouth, but I thought I would give my first impressions of the books in my prize package in case any of my readers had been thinking about getting any of these books. This will be a picture heavy post, so further info about each of these books can be found after the jump break.

The Party Dress Book

This is probably the book I was most excited about winning - I have been eyeing it on Amazon and at the local bookstores for quite a while. This book contains a pattern for a dress with a bodice and circle skirt, but includes lots of ideas and inspirations for embellishment and how to make the design your own.

Lots of pretty pictures

Lots of ruffles and colors

A look at the pattern layouts.

I think I will need to read through this book a bit more before I do a review, but so far I like looking at a lot of the inspiration photos.

The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook

Obviously, since this was a BurdaStyle giveaway, the Handbook was going to be included in the package.

I already reviewed this book a while ago, and I will repeat my assessment here - this is the perfect book for a beginner who wants to sew clothes. It touches on just enough of the essentials to give a new sewer something to go on, without bogging them down in the details. It also includes lots of Burda patterns and variations, which in my opinion make it worth buying even for more advanced sewers. Essentially, it is the book I wish had been available when I was teaching myself to sew.

My favorite pattern in the book - one of the jacket variations

A look at the instructions

Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts

This is another of the books that I am very happy I received in this package. While the section on sewing clothes is pretty laughable (I mean, there is so much to know about sewing clothes it can't really be well covered in a few pages), I do like a lot of the sections in the front and back of the book.

The first part of the book covers various techniques, including embroidery and dying. It is a good overview of a lot of techniques that can be used to embellish projects and I feel like it covers a lot of things that other books in my library are lacking.

I do want to play with fabric dying at some point.

Overview of embroidery stitches

However, the middle section of the book with the various crafts and projects for application of the techniques is not of much interest to me. It is, however, very thorough. It includes everything from clothing and home dec, to toys and tea cozies.

Ok, so these mice are kinda cute...

The last sections of the book cover tools and supplies that can be used in all of your needle crafts, and I must say that it is a very pretty and nicely organized overview.

This section discusses bias tapes and trims

All in all I think there are some sections of this book that look very handy, but I probably won't find use for a lot of the application section.

Modern Log Cabin Quilting

First of all, let me say I am not a quilter. And, honestly, I can't say that I really want to become a quilter. However, I have also promised my mother a quilt out of some festive holiday prints, so I suppose it is good that I did get a book on quilting. I really don't think I need a reason to stash even more fabric, but I am sort of interested in the technical aspects and mathematics of quilting, so I do want to read through this book at some point. Maybe not right away. But eventually.

I think this quilt is pretty.

I like all of the diagrams - very clear

A look at the instructions

Make Your Own Toys

As someone who primarily sews clothing, making crafty items isn't really my favorite thing, though I have been known to make toys from time to time. When my mother saw my pile of books, this one was on top. She has been teasing me about using my lovely stash of wools to make sock monkeys ever since. I assure you that is not going to happen. However, I will admit that after leafing through this book I actually do want to make some of these toys. They are just so darned cute!

This elephant is ADORABLE!

All the cool seamstresses have evil henchman/assistants in the form of a cat,
but I am allergic. Perhaps I can make my own?

Of course, who needs a cat when you can have a penguin?

A look at the pattern pages

I actually think that this could be a great book for making gifts. And, well, the patterns are just so cute I think I might have to make some out of leftover scrap fabrics for myself.

Simply Sublime Gifts

This book contains a lot of ideas for gift sewing - aprons, totes, and the like. Overall most of the ideas are pretty simplistic, but who knows, maybe I will look through it for ideas at some point in the future.

The best idea in the book - cupcake pincushions. I might want one for me!

Sweet Stitches from the Heart

This book is mostly a bunch of patterns for embroidery and cross stitch type projects. In general the themes of the patterns are too cutesy for my taste (hearts, angels, etc.) but I did like some of the floral patterns. I think this would be a great book if you do a lot of sewing for babies and do a lot of hand embellishments, or if you are a fan of cute embroidered details. At the moment I don't know how much I will turn to this book, but then again I am getting to the age where everyone I know is getting married and having babies, so perhaps it will come in handy!

I do like these leaf and feather motifs.

A view of the included patterns.

Sewing in a Straight Line

This book is basically a collection of sewing projects that aren't much more complicated than sewing in a straight line. While the clothing projects aren't really interesting (see the skirt and top below), I did think that some of the accessory items (bag, jewelry organizer) are sort of nice, and I might use them. Actually I think this could be a good first sewing book for someone who wants to learn to sew but gets discouraged very easily. They won't be making the most stylish of projects right away, but of the sewing books with easy projects, this one has a few more interesting ideas than the others I have seen.

The clothing is, in general, not at all exciting.

I did like this bag though.

And the travel jewelry organizer is cute and practical.

So those were my prizes! I am super excited to have won something in the BurdaStyle giveaway, and the fact that I won books makes it much more exciting, since I love to read. Some of them were books I would have bought eventually, and some were books I probably never would have considered, but I love my growing sewing library, and I am really happy to have all of these lovely editions.

The Last Great Fabric Haul of 2011

2012-01-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

Ok, well, I wasn't planning on buying quite so much fabric at the end of the year, but for some reason the end-of-year sales offered up better options to me than any of the Black Friday or pre-Christmas sales did. Most of my family gave me "fabric money" as holiday gifts, and so I went a little crazy. I pretty much hit all of my favorite fabric and pattern sources, and made out like a bandit.

ebay

Ebay is one of the best places to find older BWOF and other pattern magazines. It is often hit or miss (especially if you are looking for a specific issue), but I have had great luck in finding a lot of the older issues that I fell in love with when I looked through the Russian Burda Archive. Also, since my sister has brought me back some Patrones from Spain, I have started hunting those on ebay as well. Here are a few that I snapped up recently:

Patrones 295

I don't think this style would look good on me,
but I do find it quite striking.

I LOVE the section on blazers - loving the collar on the one on the right.

The one of the left is so classic, and the one on the right has interesting waist detail.

I am also loving this dress - a possibility for my sewing challenge bonus item party dress?

I am really liking this dress as well.

I also couldn't resist picking up a few of these older Burdas. I have actually been looking for the 01/2007 issue for several months, mainly for this coat pattern:

BWOF-01-2007-121

Though I also really like this coat pattern too:

BWOF-01-2007-101

And I also got the August 2007 issue which has a lot of great pieces with some interesting details:

BWOF-08-2007-111

BWOF-08-2007-102

BWOF-08-2007-117

Hancock Fabrics

The "local" Hancock's is very far out of the way, but fairly close to one of the rinks I skate at on occasion. My mother got a 15% off total purchase coupon, so we hit the store after practice. I don't know why, but I always seem to find something good at this store, and they were having a massive sale, with most fabrics 30-60% off. I also got the new Simplicity pattern on sale, and some half-priced buttons:

Pattern and buttons

Black/gold buttons

Black/silver buttons

Gold buttons

Fabric clockwise from top: Black PRL for pants, black stretch lace,
light blue polyester lining (for the raincoat), plaid poly charmeuse,
blue/black paisley poly charmeuse print (most likely for lining).

Joann Fabric and Crafts

Joann's New Year's Sale sucked me in, as I needed to buy a second sewing gauge (for the new sewing space) and some wooly nylon thread. While there I also picked up some Red Tag fabric and (prepare for a shock) Bemberg rayon lining! I don't know when they started carrying it, or how long they will continue to carry it, but I am sure glad they have it! Regular price is $9.99/yard, but with the sale it was $5.99, and with a 50% off coupon it could be less in the future (on a non-sale day). Hoping this is a sign that Joann will start carrying some more higher-quality stuff, but I am not counting on it too much.

Thread and notions

Metallic blend poly/cotton and Bemberg rayon!

Right now I am thinking of making a blazer type jacket with the fabric and using the underside (lighter, more shiny) as a contrast collar). I have a few patterns from the Patrones magazines in mind for this, though I probably won't get to it anytime soon.

Sew Much More

This is a local-ish fabric store specializing in fabrics for dance, skating, and gymnastics costumes. Though they used to be at a different location with a larger selection, they still carry some great fabrics on occasion.

Back - spandex print
Middle - black spandex lining and black power mesh
Front - red shiny spandex

Spandex World

Since the new skating season is starting, it is time to start planning out my new skating costume designs! I went looking for fabric in LA, but was unable to find anything really suitable. And since my sister also wanted some sequined fabric for a fancy shirt, it seemed like a good time to place an order. Also, I feel the need to point out that their swatch service is fabulous, and I have found their customer service to be very helpful (I had to talk to them on the phone about waiting for an out-of-stock fabric...). In any case, here is what I ended up with:

Clockwise from top: Red spandex, burgundy spandex,
gold sequin fabric for my sister, teal sequin knit fabric, blue stretch lace

Fashion Fabrics Club

The email about the sale came while I was starting to think about my plans for the 2012 Sewing Challenge, so when I saw a sale on denim, I thought it would be a good time to get some. I also couldn't resist the sale on wool coatings, so I got a few of those as well. And, of course, I had to get a mystery box because they make life interesting.

Denim - for the jeans phase of my sewing challenge.

Blue/black wool coating.

Magenta wool coating - it is fabulously smooth.

Mystery box fabric - I think the green and white in the front are silks.

More mystery fabric - some cotton floral fabric and assorted polyester things.

Mystery box part 3 - knit fabrics

Fabric Mart Fabrics

I think Fabric Mart might be my favorite online fabric source - they have such great quality at reasonable prices and I love that their stock is always changing. During the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales I wasn't too interested in anything they had, but they recently had a one day 30% off total purchase sale and I went absolutely hog wild. We are talking upwards of 50 yards here. Insane. But I got some really amazing stuff.

The mystery box - back row: grey wool, purple knit, white silk/linen blend
Front row: blue star fabric (linen or cotton), striped fabric (cotton/silk?)

Left: polyester lining fabrics, right: micro-fleece for interlining

Back: cotton sateen and green cotton twill, front: metallic blend fabric

Silk! Back: dense, smooth blue-grey silk and tan silk shantung.
Front: pumpkin silk-acetate blend, and teal ombre silk chiffon.

Blue houndstooth wool coating

My favorite! Teal/navy Marc Jacobs wool.
This will become a BWOF coat.

So yeah... that's, ummm, a lot of fabric. Like, a lot a lot. Like whoa I can't believe I ordered that much fabric. Like, I won't be needing fabric for a really long time amount of fabric. So at this point I am thinking I probably won't be buying much fabric (any fabric) unless it is required for structural support, lining, or interlining anytime soon. I don't know if I will say that I am officially on a stash diet, but I will say my fabric appetite is quite satiated at the moment. Ah, well. It is pretty and it does make me happy and inspired. On that note, time to get sewing!

Newsflash - Burda Spring/Summer Envelope Collection Posted

2012-01-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

The German Burda website has posted the full preview of the Spring/Summer 2012 collection! In general, I usually find I like more in the fall/winter collections but I have actually found quite a few nice pieces in this collection (what can I say, I am a Burda fanboi... fangurl? Whatever, I loves me my Burda!).

Though I wouldn't buy the plus sized patterns for myself, I do really like a lot of the styles.

This collection also included a few maternity and men's patterns:

And there were a lot of petite patterns as well, one of them being the lovely trench from the preview:

So... I don't think I will be buying it. I mean, I like it, but I have enough trench patterns that I don't need to buy one that I will have to do a lot of resizing. But there were a lot of patterns I did love that were in my size:

Love the collar on this coat! This envelope also comes with a biker style option.

This pattern has a lovely lace top and great pants! A total must-buy.

Like the neckline and gathered waist.

Another simple dress that would look great made up in lace.

Love this dress as well.

I also really like the top of this dress.

And I like the details on the top of this dress.

Also, on top of the usual Burda goodies, this time around there is something new - vintage reprints! Now, I am not one of the many seamstresses who usually make up vintage patterns, but I can't help but love some of Burda's selections...

Loving this suit!

And I am OBSESSED with this dress - I MUST get it!

And this stunning wedding gown! I don't need it but I really want it.
Actually I have wanted it since I saw the Burda Italia article on 50s fashion.
And soon it will be mine!

Overall I am super excited about these new patterns, and especially some of these vintage releases. Can't wait for the next pattern sale!

More Skating Dresses

2012-01-15T09:55:00.000-08:00

The first year of sewing I made a LOT of practice dresses for skating. I wrote a lengthy pattern review a long while ago, so I don't really feel the need to write anything too much, but I thought I would show off my latest.

The first is possibly the practice dress from hell. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. When I bought the fabric I swear the bolt said 58", but when I laid it out to cut I found a scant 42" width. Luckily I had bought 2 yards of fabric, so I had just barely enough to eek out a dress. The front skirt is a bit shorter than I like, but, well, there is a skirt, so that's something. During the construction of this dress a pin got stuck on the underside of the fabric, which led to a frightening incident that involved a serger blade flying through the air towards my face, and a painful ten days without sewing (due to lack of a serger blade, not due to bodily injury). The fabric itself isn't that pleasant either - it tends to roll and wrinkle, which isn't the most fun to deal with. The construction isn't the best - this is not my greatest effort. But, well, it is my first serger-constructed practice dress, and it did survive a day of rigorous practice and a tumble though the wash, so I will consider it a mild success.

Front

Back

I used the serger to edge finish the skirt
I still need to perfect the technique a bit

My second practice dress is made out of some fabric that I bought for less than $4/yard, so all in all the dress cost less than $10 to make.

Front

Back

Fabric close up

Again, not my best effort, but it is rather comfy to wear at practice. I think I am going to need adjust my master pattern because the backs are gaping a lot at the sides, and they did not have that problem last year. I am thinking I might need to alter the pattern a bit more aggressively for my swayback, and also possibly go to a smaller size in the waist area. I am thinking it might be prudent to make two or three more practice dresses before I start work on my competition dresses for the year. However, since these were the first skating dresses I made with my serger, I am pretty happy because the serged seams seem to be holding up pretty well. While I think I am going to focus on my challenge items the next few weeks, I definitely plan on sewing some more skating dresses before the end of February.

Dance Skating - The Viennese Waltz

2012-01-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

Last year I did a series of posts about the compulsory dances being skating in the World Class and Junior World Class competition levels. I figured it was about time to get started on that for this season. This year the competitive requirements are:

WC Team:

Viennese Waltz

Tango Delanco (NEW dance being skated for the first time this season)

WC Solo:

Starlight Waltz

Quickstep

JrWC Team:

Dench Blues

Harris Tango

JrWC Solo:

Imperial Tango

Fourteen Step Plus

Last year's JrWC team dances are being used for solo this year, so I don't feel the need to do another post for those. Also, since the Tango Delanco is a brand new dance for this skating season, I don't know when I will be able to find video documentation for the new dance. The other dances have all been skated in competition previously, so I thought it would be fun to start reviewing them.

The first dance I want to discuss is the Viennese Waltz. This is one of the traditional skating dances, dating back to the 1930s. It is skated to a waltz tempo with 138bpm. This can be quite a lovely dance, with steps alternating between quick pushes and turns and long flowing edges. Like many of the traditional roller dances, there are two variation - an International and an American version. Aside from the general difference in American and International styles of pushing, the International version is a Set Pattern where the steps must be repeated at the same position on the skating surface, and the American version is a Boarder Pattern Dance; usually skated with three patterns.

In order to help the main page load faster, I will post the video links after a jump break.

Some examples of the international version:

And the American style:

This dance is also used in ice:

Currently the American version is used in competition in the Senior Solo dance event, where the ladies steps are skates. It is also skated in the RSA #15 Gold Medal Test for both Team and Solo American Dance. The International version is skated in the World Class Team division, but has not been used in the solo event thus far. It is skated in the RSA #12 Gold Medal Test for International Team and Solo Dance.

Starting the Sewing Challenge

2012-01-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Though I have been finishing up a few projects from last year, I have been super excited to start my year-long sewing plan for 2012, and I have been debating which projects I should do first. Ever since the magazine was published, I have been dying to make the October BurdaStyle pants:

BS-10-2011-127

So I think this will be my first project of 2012. I plan on doing a "wearable muslin" version in a brown striped fabric I got from a Joann's Red Tag sale for $2/yard. If they turn out then I will do a nicer version in some lovely grey PRL I got from Hancock's. I don't know if this style would technically meet the "classic" criteria for my challenge (since a true classic trouser should fall from the hip and not be so fitted through the knee), but I generally prefer this more fitted style, so if they look good then I am willing to go with it.

I already have the patterns traced and the test fabric ready to go, so I will try to post results once I finish them. A word of caution to anyone else considering this pattern - these pants are looooooooooong! I have made one pair of Burda pants before, and while I perhaps should have reduced the length by 1/2-1" on that pair the length was decent. I took out 2" already on this pattern, and they still look long! I made the adjustment by comparing inseam and outseam lengths between my legs and the pattern, and then by holding the pattern up to my legs to see where things will probably fall. It looked like the pants *should* have a nice fit from waist to knee, but they were extremely long below that, so I took out all of the excess length from the mid-calf region, and adjusted the pattern accordingly. Remains to be seen if I took out too much, but honestly it looked like Burda was planning on having us all wear 10" heels! In any case, I am hoping to get the muslin done this weekend, and sew up the real deal next weekend. I have a couple of busy weekends in the next month, so I don't know exactly how much sewing will get done, but do want to try and maintain a pace of one challenge project per month if possible.

After making what I hope turn out to be some rather amazing pants I want to work on one of the more time consuming and possibly difficult projects on my list - the raincoat. February and March tend to be quite rainy where I live, so I really want to try to make this before the rain season starts in earnest. I haven't owned an actual raincoat since I was a little girl - is it me or is it really hard to find a stylish raincoat? So this is a project that I have been thinking about for a long time, and I finally think I have the skills to attempt it. For the raincoat I am also planning on using a BurdaStyle pattern, this one from the December issue:

BS-12-2011-118

I have already started tracing it, and there are a lot of pieces! I was hoping to get a muslin done for the coat this weekend as well, but it might have to wait until next week because I don't know if I will have enough time to get it all done. I am pretty confident that Burda size 40 is going to fit, but I have some amazing blue water repellant rubber-backed fabric that I found at a Hancock's this past summer that I will be using for the shell of this coat, and so I want to ensure that I don't waste it on a poorly fitting pattern.

There are a lot of extra changes that I want to make to this pattern. The pattern, as drafted, only has a partial lining, so I will be needing to draft my own full lining pattern (necessary to cover the rubber backing on the blue fabric. I plan to use a pale blue polyester lining fabric, which I was able to find for less than $1.50/yard. I am thinking I might use some sort of stiff polyester fabric as sew-in interfacing if needed (I worry about using a lot of the fusible on the rubber-backed fabric). I also want to attach a removable hood (using part of the BWOF-05-2002-123 pattern), because what is the point of a raincoat without a hood? I also plan on using fabric covered snaps for the first time as the closure (I have never actually covered them with fabric before...).

On top of all this, there are even more technical considerations with a raincoat than there are with a regular coat. Most important in this regard is the waterproofing of the seams. Obviously, sewing the material will create punctures in the fabric, which will allow water to go through the rubber seal. In order to prevent this, there are seam sealants that will keep the seam areas water-proof. There are liquid and tape varieties - I have decided to go with a tape. I placed an order with Quest Outfitters, and I am very happy to report that the order was placed, shipped, and received very quickly.

My seam tape for water-proofing

The only problem with the tape is that it is heat set - which sometimes isn't good for the rubber backed materials. I have read that using a teflon press-sheet can help with this, so I have ordered one of those as well. I will give an updated report once this project gets underway. Also, I will be experimenting with using a teflon foot vs. a roller foot for constructing the seams (I am thinking I might end up using a combination roller foot for long seams, teflon foot for smaller things like the collar), and I plan to test out glue-stick basting, since I clearly won't be wanting to use pins to hold things in place. Paper-clip basting might also come into play around the collar, remains to be seen.

Whoooo, I am tired just thinking about it... But excited. I think these will be enough to keep me plenty busy for the better part of the next month, so that's about as far as I am going to plan things out for now. I probably won't be posting too much about the pants until they are done (maybe a quick view of the muslin), but I will probably post a lot of updates while I am working on the coat since I will be trying out a lot of new techniques and new tools. Very excited by these plans - can't wait!

Newsflash - Burda Plus Spring/Summer Issue Posted

2012-01-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

As usual, the folks at Burda Fashion Russia are on top of things and have posted the preview for the new Burda Plus magazine.

Although, well, it might be something of a stretch to call it "new." I don't spend as much time staring at the plus sized fashions in the regular Burda mags as I do staring at the rest of it, but at least 2 of the sections are simply re-prints from 2011 Burda Style magazines.

The what were they thinking selections from 06/2011

And all the gorgeous dresses from 07/2011

I haven't been following Burda long enough to know if the other sections are re-prints or new patterns, but there were a few I thought could be sort of cute:

The pink wrap top is cute (though perhaps better in not hot pink)

I like this nice summery dress

And I thought this coat was pretty classy

Overall though, I would have to say that I don't think there is anything super special in this issue. I don't use the Burda plus sizes for myself, but I have used them when sewing for others (which is to say, rarely), so I do like to take a look when they come out with the new magazines. In this issue the best patterns by far are the gowns, which I already have, so I don't see much reason for me to get this issue. Does anyone subscribe to both the regular and the plus editions? Are there generally this many re-prints? Do you find it better to order the plus only (more economical, and everything in your size) or to get the year-long subscription (so as to not miss out on anything)?

Newsflash - USARS 2012 Skating Rules Posted

2012-01-10T01:40:00.000-08:00

Not that this will be of much interest to anyone who actually reads this blog, but the rulebook for the new skating season has been posted by USARS. They have also posted an update to the Figure and Dance Requirements.

USARS Rulebook 2012

CIPA Rulebook 2012

Figure Draw Update 2011-2012

A few changes:

(1) Previously, the precision and show teams chosen for worlds happened at the previous year's national championships (ie, the 2011 world teams competed at the 2010 nationals), but this past year there were insufficient number of teams, so starting in 2012 the world team will be chosen at that year's nationals. I think this is a good thing, as it is easier to keep a team together for the four months between regionals and nationals, as opposed to maintaining a team for 16 months as was previously required.

(2) Addition of the Juvenile C figure and circle loop events, to be skated at regionals only. This event is intended to be an entry-level event for young new skaters.

(3) Skaters placing in the combined figure events at nationals (but not in the individual figure or loop events) do not have to move to the next higher division. Personally I don't think this is a good rule, but I am not in charge of such things...

(4) Primary level skaters who place (1-2-3) at the national championships must move to Juvenile A when they age out of the Primary division.

(5) The JrWC solo dance event will be split into males/females this season. This is how the WC level is skated, so it seems fair to do it at the junior level as well.

(6) The B/C level freestyle requirements have been changed to read "combination/change spin." I believe this clarifies which spins are allowed in these lower divisions where the difficulty of the content is restricted.

(7) The Tango Delanco has been added to the list of JWC/WC dances.

(8) The sections detailing the CIPA deductions and requirements have been updated. Essentially the point deduction for falls has been reduced, and the jump requirements in the JWC/WC events has been changed to be in line with the CIPA rules.

(9) A more detailed description of the footwork sequences required in free skating events.

(10) The flighting of dance event finals will be in reverse order that skaters skated in the eliminations. This is a good rule, as previously skaters were flighted according to placement, which tended to keep the results rather stagnant.

(11) For dance events in which the repetitions are counted, a five point penalty will be given to teams that "interfere" with the team that started first. The scoring of the interrupted team will not be affected, and they will be judged until they have completed the correct number of repetitions. Hopefully this will yield some sort of consistency in how to deal with the problems during scoring.

(12) Warm-up regulations for circle loop events have been added.

(13) For figure events (excepting the JWC/WC) there will NOT be a rotation of skaters if there are fewer than 5 in the event. This is a good rule, as doing rotations with fewer than this number just slows down the event. For 6-8 skaters they will use the "drop one" rule (ie, the second skater starts the second figure, etc.). For 9 or more they will divide the event into groups based upon the number of figures to be skated and proceed that way.

A side note: In rule AR8.02a a season is defined as Jan. 1 - Dec. 31, but in rule AR11.05.01 it is defined as Sept. 1 - Aug. 31. Although this might not seem like such a big deal, it has led to something of a fiasco at the last two local meets, so it would be nice if the national office could come up with a definition and stick to it.

Pattern Review: Simplicity 3563

2012-01-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

So I have finally finished what I had thought would be a quick easy project that could be whipped up during the holiday craziness. Hahaha.

Simplicity 3563

Actually, I would have had this project totally finished but for the fact that I forgot to cut out the back neck facing and was 100 miles away from the leftover fabric when I realized this. Then a broken serger blade slowed me down. But, at last it is done. Sad to say, but I am not sure it was worth all the trouble. I mean, if I really had been able to stitch it up in an afternoon I think I might have been a bit more jazzed, taken a bit more time with the fitting, etc. But between the long waiting period from start to finish and the fact that this is just a fleece jacket, well, I sort of fell out of love with this project. But it is finished, and it is warm. So here are some pictures:

Jacket front

Side with sleeve

Back

Collar

Buttons

Serged set-in sleeve

And here is my official review:

Pattern Description: Unlined jacket and hat patterns with front and sleeve variations and pin tuck design elements. This pattern is now OOP.

Pattern Sizing: (6-8-10-12-14) and (14-16-18-20-22). I made a size 14. This pattern definitely had less ease than I am used to with a Big4 pattern, which was good because normally I would use a size 10 or 12 but I bought this pattern from a local store (they sell OOP patterns for $2) and they only had the larger sizes. I would say that the fit is good in the shoulders, but definitely a bit large in the waist.

Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, very easy. I actually didn't need to refer to them much, I mostly looked at the pictures. Everything seemed quite logical and straightforward though.

Did it look like the photo/drawing when you were done with it? For the most part I would say that it did look very much like the envelope.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Likes: I like the fit through the shoulders as it is quite comfy to move in, and I like how the pin tucks add shaping to the front. I also think the shape of the collar is really great. Dislikes: Well, personally I think that having the pin tucks on the sleeves is a bit too much for the design now that I have made it up. Also, on my version the hem in the back stands a bit away from the body, but that could just be an odd puckering or a quirk of the way I sewed my hem.

Fabric used: Polyester fleece from Joann's. Not the most exciting material, but the jacket is very warm.

Pattern alterations or design changes you made: I added 2" to the length of the torso. Instead of using cording for the button loops I just used elastic. I also thought that hand sewing the facings and hem was not worth the effort on a fleece jacket, so I just used the machine topstitching to keep everything in place. If I were to make this again in the future I would make the back darts a bit deeper, take it in slightly at bit more on the side seams, raise the armscye a bit, and add 1/4-1/2" to the sleeve length. Actually, I would probably use a different plain sleeve as I think the embellished sleeves make the design a little too over the top.

Would you sew this again? Would you recommend it to others? Honestly, I doubt I will be sewing this pattern again. When I first wanted to make it I thought it would be a cute design, but now that it is finished I am wondering if it is perhaps a bit too mature or too crafty looking? I have a lot of other jacket patterns I would like to try, so I don't think I will be re-visiting this pattern any time soon. My hesitancy is all based on my personal style, so I would recommend this pattern if you really like the way it looks.

Conclusion: Overall, I would say this is a good pattern, though perhaps not my favorite style of jacket. I think I will still wear it a bit, though I don't think this is going to be my everyday go-to jacket as I had envisioned. The pattern itself is fine, but seeing the finished result on me, I have come to realize that this style is not really suited to my personal taste.

So that's my jacket. Not my favorite sewing project of all time, but it did get a large hunk of fleece out of my stash and I got to test out a pattern I was wavering over on something pretty cheap. And, now that it is finished I can finally move on to my wardrobe challenge! Debating which item I want to get to first, but I am leaning towards the pants since I can never have enough pants.