Bundle of Joy

Last month Fabric Mart Fabrics issued a challenge to use all pieces from one bundle into a garment or collection of garments.  I thought it sounded fun to try, so I ordered a small bundle.  This is what I got:

I changed my mind several times about what I would make and what I would have go with each piece.  Originally, the brown was going to be a pair of pants, but in the end I decided the fabric might drag against itself. If I were to do it all again, I would probably use the multistripe to do the finishing on the jacket and maybe some trim.  Then all of the garments would be one complete outfit.  But, I'm glad I made that top separate, as I can see wearing it with other things.  I've been wearing it with black pants.

This is what I ended up with!  (scroll down for better picture)




I really like how the garments work together, even though I would not have bought these fabrics to go together. It was a fun challenge to break up my normal sewing routine.

Here are links to more information about each fabric used and the garment:

Dark Brown Raincoat fabric - TSW Tremont Jacket
Black and White Stripe - Pattern Review Ina Skirt 
Multi stripe crinkle georgette - Cutting Line Designs Light and Shadow remake
Lavender burnout print knit - Vogue 8636 Marcy Tilton Raglan Tee

I'm not happy with the collage picture above since it is not clear.  I tried doing it by making a card in iphoto and then taking a screen shot of the photo.  I'm going to try to do it over by using keynote.
Here is a better picture!

Mystery Raglan Tee Vogue 8636

When you order a mystery bundle, you never know what you are going to get.  I hadn't ordered one in years, but was prompted by an email I received from Fabric Mart a few weeks ago.  I went ahead and ordered the 6 yard bundle for $10.00.  I figured that even if I only liked one of the fabrics, I would still come out ahead.  Well, this is Fabric #3 out of the bundle, and I love it.  I originally was going to make a pair of pants out of piece #4, but changed my mind this morning.  This was going to be the top to go with it, but it will still go with many things that I have.  The background is gray with a black burnout, but for some reason, it seems to read "brown" so I think it will go with either brown or black.  

The pattern I used, Vogue 8636

is a Marcy Tilton from a few years back.  I really like the basic raglan T shape.  This time I used a tissue knit burnout.  Since handling this fabric can be tricky, I decided to share what I did (and didn’t) do.

Since there was nothing that needed to be matched in this fabric, I didn’t use a single layer layout.  I folded both selvedges to the middle so that I had two folds, and cut out the front and back on these fold.  Then I folded the rest in half and cut out the sleeve and neck pieces.  Since I had made the pattern before, this was quick as I had no alterations to make.  (Another reason I chose this pattern!)

When I made my Bianca Hack, I also used a tissue knit.  I fought this thing on the serger as it kept eating the cut off part into the seam allowance stitching.  It was kind of a pain.  On this top, I decided to NOT use the serger.  At All.  

I finally decided to give the Sewing Workshop Sew Confident a try.  I started with year 3.  One of the lessons in the series is on tricky knits.  So, I did learn one thing.  Using a double stitched seam and trimming close to the second stitching will give you a flatter seam allowance, stop the curling, and be less bulky than a serged seam.  I’m a little bit underwhelmed with the Sew Confident so far, but I have only read about the first 4 lessons.  I’m not sure what I was expecting, but we’ll see how it goes.  Have any of you tried it?  What do / did you think?  I have not yet received the 3 patterns that go with that year, but I am anxious to get those (although purchasing the patterns is optional.  However, you get 3 for the price of 2, so that’s definitely worth it!)

Another thing I did because of this tissue knit was to use left over tissue paper to start and end my seams.  My sewing machine does not have a single needle sole plate, so the tissue tears away easily enough and solves the problem of the fabric being pulled into the feed dogs.  I usually use medical exam paper to trace my patterns and I just use left over pieces to do this.  I keep them in a little plastic container by my machine.

The two times I made this top before, I used darts in the neckline.  This time I used the pleat and button method.  I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out.

... And here I am with the requisite tree growing out of the top of my head. (Since I use a tripod and delay switch on my camera to take pictures, I really need to think about this in the future!)

Me Made May Day 20 and another Tilton Tee

Last night I could not sleep.  I woke up at 2 and tried reading, but that did not put me back to sleep.  Some things at work were bothering me and I'm not a good sleeper to begin with.  Finally, at 4, I decided to get up and do some sewing.  I had cut out another T earlier in the evening, so I decided to go ahead and make it for work tomorrow.  I had my sweet grand daughter spending the night, so I knew I had to get her up and ready to go down the hill with me no later than 7.  Well, I'm obviously not the fastest sewist in the world because I finished my top at 6:30.
I made a few little changes on this one.

• First, I lowered the neckline by 3/4" at CF and used the french curve to taper back up to where the neckline meets the sleeve.  This neckline feels much better on me, and I may lower it even a little bit more.  Unless it's a turtleneck, I really don't like high necklines very much. I don't need anything that visually increases the length from neck to bust - the girls are getting lower every year and don't need any emphasis on their new location!!
• I retraced the front and left out the dart at the CF.  I rotated that to the arm, meaning that I took the 3/8" off where the front meets the sleeve at the neck and tapered it to nothing where the side seam meets the back side seam.  This sounded good in theory and it actually worked!
• I used a contrast band for the neckline because I think prints need something to break them up
• This one is a jersey and not an interlock.  I got it from Peggy Sager, but I don't remember the fabric content.  It feels like a rayon/poly/lycra blend.  You can always tell when fabric has lycra in it because when you pull it and let it go, it makes the sound like a rubber band!  That, Ladies, is my scientific method of fabric identification!
• I used my coverstitch to hem the sleeves and bottom hem.  ( I used steam a seam first to hold them hems in place so they would not slip while I was hemming them. )

I really like this T.  It is more comfortable than the other one (lace always makes me itch) and the jersey drapes much better than interlock.  Interlock is easier to work with, but this was actually a well-behaved jersey.  It didn't roll too much and wasn't horrible to cut.  One tip I use when cutting knits like this is to snip the selvedges every couple of inches to help them lie flat.  It seems that the selvedges always shrink either more or less than the fabric, and then the fabric won't lie flat to cut it out.  Snipping the edges really helps.

The pants are one of my favorite (well, my only right now) knit pants.  I didn't realize how long I've had these until I looked up the review to check the pattern number.  No wonder they're getting worn - they're 4 years old and I wear them a lot!

They are V1197, a Sandra Betzina pattern - I believe this one is still in print, too.

By the way, I took these pictures after a long day at work, and my outfit still looks good.  Yes, the comfort and beauty of knits!  It was so nice out on the deck, that I just wanted to sit there and blog for a while.  That didn't happen because I had to get ready for a group of ladies to come over for Bible study tonight.  I always look forward to that!

Yes, I have to say that this Marcy Tilton pattern is a keeper!

A new Tee

Time for a new T-shirt.  I'm not much of a T-shirt wearer.  That is, your typical T.  Like you get at a concert.  Or Walmart.  The whole crew neck, straight sides, no shape thing does nothing for me.  I've never liked them and whenever I've gotten one for whatever reason, I usually leave it in a drawer.
However, interesting T shirts I like.  Different shaping, sleeve and neckline variations.  That I like.

At PR weekend, I picked up this pattern from the pattern exchange.  I like Marcy Tilton designs for the most part, and this is just a basic T, but there was something I liked about it.    I've been wanting to make a T shirt with lace sleeves and the other day I found the perfect green interlock at JoAnns.  I've had some green print lace that I haven't known what to do with, so this seemed like a good combo.


I did not want to go overboard on alterations on this thing, so I traced out a 10 and just continued out to a 14 at the underarm and kept it down to the hip.  I did bring in the waist about 1/4".  There was already waist shaping, so I just added a little more.  Also, because I did not want to add a dart, I extended the CF down at the hem about 1" and tapered up at the side.  I made a straight 10 for the back down to the waist, and the went out to a 14 at the hip.

My stretch lace had a little less stretch than I had remembered, so the sleeves were tight.  I reduced the seam allowance to 1/4" on the sleeves and now they are a lot more comfortable.   Another problem I always have with tops is that they are too big in the neck.  If I go down too far in size, they are too tight in the armholes and across the back.  I suppose I have what is called a shallow upper chest.  It does not help that I have a DD bust, so the combination of the two makes fit a little challenging.  What I did was to take a dart at the CF as you can see in the picture below.  What I didn't think of was that since these are raglan sleeves, it would have been easier to take that dart out at the sleeve, and then it would not interfere with the bust sizing.  Next time I will add that CF dart back in and take it out at the front sleeve seam.

Vogue 8636

I did take some out of the neck band to match up with what I did at CF.  I could have taken out even more, since I did not have to stretch my neckband much to make it fit.  This means that the front (and back) of the band were gapping a little bit.  In the pattern they recommend that you take small darts, and that is exactly what I did.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this top.  I want to make another right away in a striped knit I have.  Besides, the lace sleeves are a little airy when it is chilly outside!

stretch lace for sleeves and neckband

darts at neckline under lace

And, for Me Made May?  I was speaking in church today about my trip to Uganda.  Some of you know, I do mission trips to Uganda teaching women how to sew.  I am planning my next trip for September 2015.  I am looking for a few people to go with me.  If you are a Believer, and think you might be interested, please start praying about if this is something God would have you do.  I would love to have some fellow sewists join me!  You can email me for more information at nwinningham at gmail dot com.

So I wore this linen blend dress made from the Japanese book, Basic Black.  The belt and necklace were made by some ladies in Uganda and I love them!