Endless Combinations

I'm still working on the Endless Combinations, but this is what I have so far. I'm still hoping to complete the following items before the end of the month, but we'll see. I still have some Christmas sewing to do. (I'm thinking of making those cute pjs in this months BWOF for DD.)

black wool pants
eggplant colored twin set
taupe dress -OR
gray pants and jacket.

Hi hopes, low time. We'll see what happens

HP Razor Sharp - I started all over

I was not happy with the direction my HP Razor Sharp pants were going. Friday night, I was reading Nancy Zieman's Fitting Finesse book, and she has a whole chapter on fitting pants. I woke up at 4:00 Saturday morning and couldn't sleep, so I got up and started taking measurements. I went over to my cutting table and started retracing the pattern, using the pivot and slide method. This time I started with a 12 and made adjustments from there.


The directions in the pattern were very confusing, and because I did not understand their facing/fly front directions, the facing pattern did not fit. I had to re-cut a front facing, and then I used bias tape to finish the edges of the fly facing so that I would not cover up the zipper. I know there has to be a better way to do a fly front with no waistband, but I haven't found good directions yet (or maybe I just don't understand them) I tried to get a good picture of the fly front, but black just doesn't photograph well. This picture is of the inside of the fly with the extension sewn in place.




Here is the inside views of the fly front.

From Endless Combinations

From Endless Combinations

This time I used Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing book for the order of construction, and disregarded the HP directions completely. The only problem with this, again, was the fact that there was no waistband.


The whole time I was making these I was thinking, "These are turning out pretty good. I sure hope they fit!" Now that I've tried them on, I think the fit is pretty good, but the legs are still a lot fuller than I would like, and the shape of them is nothing at all like the front of the pattern. Now that I'm in my 50's, I can see that I've acquired the "low butt, high tummy" syndrome. Damn... I guess I really should start going to the gym. You can also see in this picture that the pockets kind of stick out at the top, and I'm really hoping these don't stretch out in the waist. The lining is showing a bit on this side, but it doesn't on the other side. I think if I would have top-stitched the pockets, that would have eliminated that. The fabric is a triacetate that I got from Fabric Mart last year, and I've never worked with it before.






Overall, I think the fit is good on these. I'm really glad I used N.Z.'s method of getting the fit right. It worked for me on these, and I will try it again on a different pattern. I won't make this pattern again. Even though the fit is right, I don't like the way the waist is and I don't like the shape of the legs that much. I don't think they look as "modern" as I thought they would (but maybe I'm disillusioning myself and need to be thinking about how to get a more "modern" body to put the pants on! LOL. I'm glad to have a good pair of black pants, but the fly, fly facingings, and doubled fly back flap make for a really heavy front of the pants. Also, the pockets add to this. The one thing I DO like about this pattern is the extra wide waist facings. You need them because of all the weight of the pants.

Next up, I'd like to make a couple of quick and easy things. I am going to make a twin set using this black and brown knit.

EC Blouse- S2938

I finished my second garment in the EC (Endless Combinations) contest. It is Simplicity 2938 made from a polyester charmeuse. This fabric wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be to work with. I probably would have gotten this done in about half the time if I wouldn't have made so many mistakes. Mostly I had problems when stitching on the bias tape and not catching it on the underside. Other than that, everything went pretty well. Yes, the best thing about making something you've made before is that the fitting part is already done! I do like the blouse, but it kind of poofs out in the center front. There are more pictures here. If I ever do make this again, I will probably try it as a dress.



Next up? I think I'm going to try some black pants from the Hot Patterns Razor Sharp pattern. I know Nancy K has had great success with these and I've had the pattern for a long time, but not tried it yet. Pants can be a scarey thing sometimes. I'd really like to get this pattern to fit well so that I can have a good TNT pants pattern.
Now, looking at this pattern illustration, take that model, cut her legs off just below the knee, and add feet. Yep, that's about what they'll look like on me. Oh, and add some width at the hip and thigh, that ought to do it.