Easing

As in easing sleeves, which is not easy. So I think it should be called something else, like, Not Easing? Swearing and Throwing Things? I don’t know.

Anyway. I’m supposed to be working on SWAP, but I really want to complete this jean jacket I’m working on so I can get the machine serviced. I’ve tried 3 times to ease this sleeve in and it was just not working. This is time number 4, so this time I’m employing Ann Steeves’s method of setting in a sleeve. Here are my pins:

 

And here is the hand basting:

 

I was a chicken and did not take out all the pins.

After the first line of stitching, and on the intended recipient!

I am very pleased with this! It’s that old saying, the longest route is really the shortest. Truth: it did not take long to pin and hand baste, maybe ten minutes for each sleeve?

I’ll procrastinate now on the next hard thing: buttonholes.

Till next time!

SWAP 2019

The rules this year are very flexible, with the focus once a gain on producing a cohesive collection of 11 garments.

The collection starts with an inspiration piece, which for me is this wool suiting fabric:

Wool tweed

From there you choose 2 “main fabrics” to form the core of your collection. These can be any tone, multiple different fabrics. Then, you are permitted to make up to 5 accent items, but each fabric regardless of color counts for one accent.

For this year I originally chose neutrals: ivory and black, although pink is strongly in the running, as is blue.

Then I had a think through. I have 2 different ivory fabrics in the stash already plus a chunky knit, but really I would never wear white on my bottom half. So that is a strike against ivory as a core color.

I do have 1 piece of black fabric in stash, and one black cardigan that was finished prior to SWAP. A strike against black. Oh, actually, I have one RTW black t shirt. I would not mind purchasing another bit of black yardage for a shirt, so black is still in the running.

Pink. I straight-up love pink. I have 3 fabrics already that would fit this colorway: a pink ponte for pants, a deeper coral/pink stretch lace, and a very pink wool tweed that I’ve had for over 15 years. So from this already I have a shirt, pants, jacket.

Blue. Must be my second favorite color. I have a blue denim, a blue embroidered lawn, a blue knit for a sweater vest. So from this: a shirt, pants, vest.

Then there is purple. I have a very lovely eggplant purple wool knit that could easily become a skirt, and possibly a jacket, along with a lighter purple jersey that has already become this dress:

NL 6525

I really don’t want to purchase fabric at all. So it would make sense to have my main fabrics be pink and black, as I’ve already got enough in stash to make 5-6 garments.

Then ivory could be my main accent, with blue or purple taking a secondary role. I think I like this! Here is the run-down of garment possibilities.

Black wool Wrap

• Wild card item/inspiration item

Pink

• Jacket
• Lace Tshirt
• Pull on pants likely Jalie eleonore

Blue

• Sweater vest own design
• Woven shirt
• Cropped jeans Burda

 

Ivory

• Jalie 2805
• Raglan T
• Cowl swing T LN 6525

Black

• Jalie jeans
• Cardigan
• RTW tee shirt

Purple

• dress
• skirt
• jacket.

Print

• Floral print: T-shirt

I’ll never sew all of them, there are 17 options there!  I’ll have to map out a plan to keep me on track, I’d like to finish prior to the deadline this year. The jackets will take me the most time, so I’ll finish the wrap first, then move on to the pink jacket while sewing up some other more simple items concurrently.

 

SWAP 2018 Complete

All done with SWAP!  I managed to squeak out the last garment with 2 hours to go. I am a master procrastinator!

Here is my assessment of the whole process, copied from the Stitcher’s Guild website:

 

Neutral one BROWN:

1. Tan Jalie Eleonore jeans DONE
2. Brown Elle pants DONE
3. Previously sewn: linen Plantain tee DONE
4. Ecru knit Shirt No. 1 DONE

Neutral two BLUE

5. Pullover hoodie (Meg McElwee’s Craftsy class) DONE
6. Blue jeans, purchased DONE
7. Skirt (RTW copy, same fabric as hoodie) DONE

Print coral/blue/yellow jersey
8. Plantain tee DONE
9. Tank (RTW copy) DONE

 

Print 2 Brown patchwork burnout
10. Tank (RTW copy) DONE

 

Color pop: coral stretch jersey

11. Tank top (RTW copy) DONE

Number of patterns used: 6
Number of new patterns: 3 (including 2 RTW copies drafted during SWAP)
New things learned/tried: Stabilizing a loose knit while finishing a seam, creating a binding for seam finishing on interior.

Every single one of these patterns I will use again. I don’t think there is a single “Hmm, maybe I won’t wear this as much as I thought” item in the lot. I think they all work together much better than any group of items I have sewn. This has to have been my most successful SWAP to date, IMO.

The whole collection

Floral tank, quilted jersey skirt

RTW jeans and tank

Floral T, pull on jeans

My favorite hoodie!

Much loved plantain tee and quilted skirt

Coral tank, pull on jeans

Sweater, coral tank, favorite Elle pants

 

Clearly I am not a professional blogger. I am not going to mess around with the pictures, I can’t get them the same size!

 

My favorite makes: the hoodie, coral tank, pull on jeans, and Elle pants. I love them all!  The floral shirts are cozy, and I wear them a lot for work, which means they will probably wear out quickly.  That’s OK. They were quick makes.

 

Next up is another Sewing With A Plan, through The Sewing Place message board. This one is similar, 10 garments, with a sewing time frame from May to October. I am planning on participating in this one too.

In the Deep Freeze

It is C-O-L-D out there! The high today was -5 F.  I took this picture of the frost on our window yesterday.

I am still in the thinking phase of SWAP. It has only just officially started anyway, but I really should get a move on.  I am behind cause I am making a fleece zip hoodie for DH, and I am stalling on various parts. I don’t know why, it is actually not that hard, but there are a lot more steps in this than in a t-shirt!  Here is a picture of the hood, he wanted the outer to be waterproof, and I had to modify it to have the inner green fleece.

I will probably keep sewing along on the hoodie, and when I need a break I’ll cut fabric for SWAP.  I am bouncing back and forth between using a TNT, or trying something new.  I should probably just do up a pair of SyleArc Elle pants, as they are a quick sew and also something I need, but they feel a bit boring right now.

Annual SWAP posting

Good morning from a soon-to-be-warm December Sunday. The temp is supposed to hit 50 today, very unseasonably warm for MN.  I am not complaining at all.

SWAP is on again, as per usual. This year’s rules are a little more restrictive for me than I usually find. No restriction on patterns or even garment type, but some seriously limiting color guidelines. Here they are:

Plan: 
Choose two neutral colors
Add one accent color and two prints OR two accent colors and one print
Make at least three garments from each neutral color
Make at least one garment from each accent color
Make at least one garment from each print
Remaining two garments may be made from any one or combination of your neutrals, accent(s) and/or print(s)
Create multiple outfits of at least two garments that work for your personal style
Each garment must work with a minimum of two outfits

Optional Accessory: add one self-made accessory as a signature piece that works with at least two of  your outfits

This completely derails my hopes to inject more color and pattern into my wardrobe, mostly because I am on a serious budget as usual, and I have a rather disjointed, limited fabric stash. I am also desperately in need of new basics (read: t-shirts), and all my work pants are looking pretty sad as I wear them multiple times per week. Two pair have likely been worn over 100 times! And the shirts? Not even gonna count. Also, need a few cozy sweatshirt/hoodies, as it gets cold here in fall and winter!

Gah! my head is moving in too many directions!

Here are my tentative plans:

Neutral one BROWN:

Tan Jalie jeans
Brown leggings
Natural sweater (cardigan, or pullover)
Previously sewn: elle pants or linen plantain tee

Neutral two BLUE

Embroidered chambray tunic/dress (cheyenne or west water tunic?)
blue mash up fabric (shirt no 1? tank?)
Blue jeans, purchased.

Print coral/blue/yellow jersey
Tunic or Hoodie
leggings

Color 1 Purple wool double knit
pullover based on shirt no 1
skinny pants or leggings.

Color 2 coral stretch jersey
Tank top/tunic

This is far more colorful than last year’s brown/blue theme, what with the coral and purple thrown in. Not much in the way of pattern, but oh well. Here are the fabrics I’ve curated for this SWAP:

I am seriously loving this combination! I’m not sure which to start with first. The practical thing to do would be a pair of work pants. The fun thing would be a hoodie or t-shirt with that floral print! Plenty of time to think it over.

Waffling

I am stuck.

I would like to keep sewing this Burda top, but I think the fabric and pattern are all wrong for each other, and wrong for me.  The fabric is too shiny and fancy, and the pattern is too hip and oversized.  I am pressing on, cause really I only have 6 more seams to sew and I’ll be done, but I think this is the wrong track.

I should really look at this as a learning experience, but I don’t really have any time for that!  I need clothes and a polished authentic look now!  Mistakes are inconvenient.  The main issue is that I am trying to complete SWAP, and spending most of February on a mistake is a mistake.

Part of the problem too is that I don’t know what I want my style to be, I just know that I want something other than what it is. I sew to make my own items that no one else can buy, but mainly I sew t-shirts and anyone can buy those! I am trying to up the interest by using new patterns like this Burda top, and texture like this shiny knit, but again I think I missed the mark.

Pajamas

Took the time today to trace out V 8859, OOP Marcy Tilton skinny pants.  I got these prior to discovering Stylearc patterns.  I whipped together a muslin from some gifted random knit. I chose a size 14 based on my measurements. Boy. No.  As usual the waist was very huge, not a bad fit in the thighs but as I have had great success with Stylearc, these are just meh.  Like I don’t even know if I want to wear them as pajamas.  I may try to salvage them into leggings for this SWAP, but that may not even be worth the effort.

The fabric was part of the problem.  I got it from a fabric exchange last year, it is pretty shiny so I am guessing a fair amount of poly, and my least favorite color for me: gunmetal gray. blah. I also omitted the yoke, and the knee pleats as I was short on fabric and just wanted to get a sense of the style lines.  I’ll keep it around for a while, but will probably gift it away at some point.

I will hold off on pants for now, instead I want to get going on Burda 6850, which I just picked up today.  I should muslin this too, before cutting into my fashion fabric, as it is very unstructured and I run the risk of being swallowed by my garment otherwise. I plan on a sweater, perhaps an overshirt of linen or similar, and a tunic with this crazy (for me) chevron knit. First the muslin.

Oh good!

The yearly blogger, that’s who I am.

SWAP time once again people!  Planning on taking part, as usual, but snafus abound.  I have not sewn a single thing yet!  I am procrastinating.  Once I get going I’ll have some momentum, but right now I am stuck.

We moved last month, and we are still boxed in. There are a number of things in my sewing area that have nothing to do with sewing, and I don’t really know where to put them.  That is barrier number one.

I am planning to start with Vogue 8859, in a very stretchy brown ponte (I think it is ponte, I got it from SR Harris, so who knows) and I am really unsure of the proper size, I’ll also have to shorten the rise, probably the thigh, and the lower leg, and take in a wedge from the back (I always have to do this with pants.)  Paralyzed by all of that. Plus I think I cut out a size too large. Plus there are some pleating details that will not work with this ponte as it is rather thick, so I’ll have to eliminate them too. A lot of pattern manipulation when really I would just rather cut and sew. Impatient. So instead I am doing nothing. Barrier number two.

And, Stitcher’s Guild is down, has been for weeks. I have no motivating posts to read. Barrier number 3.

I’ll get started tomorrow though, I promise.  May even have some pictures to post!

The chevron is a very loose knit that I am considering turning into a t-shirt dress, or a tank dress. I was originally planning a cardigan, but it keeps whispering “Dress.” So a dress it will probably be.

SWAP 2016

I am at it again.

This time for me, no one is taking over my SWAP!

Plans mainly to sew from stash, although I just bought the Jalie Eleanor pull on Jean pattern. Like how I did that, right before I put my intentions in writing? I have so.much.stuff upstairs I need to get sewing some of it up.  I don’t know how I’ll get it all to coordinate though, none of it was purchased with the intention of matching anything.  And I desperately need more T shirts, super easy to sew, but I have no good fabric in the stash for that.

I’m going to try 3 new-to-me patterns, no make that 4: the jeans above, a Marcy Tilton jacket that I had to have a few months ago and now I am meh about, 2 woven T styles for variety.  I am working on a muslin for one and am having a bit of a slog with it.  The second I may start today, and if I like it better I may simply ditch the other for now, although without sleeves I think it may get the thumbs up.

No pictures now, just getting reality on paper.

One hour t-shirt

I made a t-shirt in one hour!!

OK, it is not quite done, as DD is not home for me to check the hem length, and I think the neck band will be too tight.

Still.

I used a knit from SR Harris, and after cutting it realized it is not as stretchy as some of the other knits I’ve used.  Hence the tight neck band.  The pattern is Jalie 2805 and oh boy is it easy.  It has multiple neckline options: cowl, crew, V neck, Henley.  DD likes the crew neck. It is not too low, and the body has just the right amount of curve for her tastes. I’ve made 4 so far including this one.

Last year I was amazed at all the people posting about their quickly sewn t-shirts. Now that I have a pattern I like and am familiar with (and has only 5 pattern pieces) I get it!  I feel like I’ve joined a secret club.