Butterick 5712

Something about this little jacket pattern intrigues me.

It is not be the awful photos, so it must be the line drawings. View B.

The sleeves are cut on the jacket front and back.  The sides begin at lower hem and continues up to underarm and then down the arm to sleeve hem.  And there are cute little hidden inseam pockets on the front. I searched and no luck, no one has reviewed it, so I must be the guinnea pig, pioneer.  Last night I traced it with pattern tracing paper and then pin fit it together and tried it on.  I was just sure that there was no way it would work, but it seems that it might.  So the intrigue deepens.....  I have cut out a muslin..... so we shall see if my curiosity got the best of me or led me to something orniginal! 

Stay Happy!  Keep Sewing!

Round 2 and it's a knockout!

 I finished my second Jalie 3130.  I am very happy with this pattern.  I usually only buy patterns when they are on sale, so I had high hopes for this pattern, as it is a bit more $ than normal sale pattern!  This time around, instead of retracing for a smaller size up front, I tried removing a 1/4" on each front side, I think it now fits me a bit better in the upper chest.  I still ended up using 5/8" side seams.  The shirt fits KG2 a bit tighter in the bust than I, as she is over 10 years old and her breasts have not .....migrated south at all, whereas mine.... a bit.
          

My fabric is a cotton poly blend from JoAnns.  Feels really nice against the skin, sews up very well, but snags somewhat easily, unfortunately.   I, again, used the tutorial on collars with stands from GigiSews found on this tutorial website, http://sewingtutorials.blogspot.com/2008/05/topstees.html, This site has some awesome tutorials.  First you attach the inner stand to the shirt, then attach finished collar to the inner stand.  Then the outer stand to the inner stand, just sewing around the ends and collar edge.  Then you turn the whole thing right side out and finish the outer stand lower edge.  You end up with such a nice finish, both inside and outside.

Check out the site, she explains it so much better and her pictures help where words can not.
Now, on to the sleeves, which are inserted flat.  These sleeves go in without a pucker in site.  Perfect.  I added a 1 1/2" to the depth of the cuff, to allow a bit deeper of a roll up.

 

I highly recommend this pattern for anyone who loves a nice button up shirt.

Stay Happy, Keep Sewing! 

Round 2

My second Jalie 3130 is on the cutting board this morning.  Made a few slight tweaks to the pattern......more later!

Jalie 3130

I finished the Jalie 3130.  I must say, this is a very nice shirt pattern.  I think the pocket sizing and collar sizing are perfect, just like RTW.  Sometimes the Big 4 have collars and pockets that are out of scale to the shirt front and they can scream home made.  

 This pic is a bit blury, but I was trying to show the pockets, hard to see on this busy print. The fabric is a cotton blend from the Lisette collection at JoAnns.  It is beautiful.  No wrinkles, right out of the dryer and presses very well.  I cut the size Y as it most closely matched  my measurements, but I ended up taking it in 5/8" more from the elbow seam to the waist.    The sleeves are same front to back and are inserted flat.  Was a dream to ease in.  No puckers. 

 I tried a new tutorial on the collar, it was from GigiSews, http://behindtheseams.wordpress.com/2006/05/24/collar-on-stand-part-1/.  It was a little hard to comprehend what I was doing at first, but if you also follow the pictures, it works out just like she says it will!  Beautiful collar! 

 The sleeves have a cuff on the bottom, which is folded while attaching so that the right side of the fabric is also on the inside of the sleeve, so when you roll them up, you don't see the wrong side of the fabric.  Brilliant!

While there are no princess seams, the front and back darts do pretty well.  There is also a yoke on the back which is just slightly curved as attached which also helps with the back shaping. 

If you like button up shirts, I highly recommend this pattern. 

Stay Happy, Keep Sewing!

A weekend to sew.....

What to do, What to do....  I know, my newest shipment from PR.

Jalie 3130 has arrived..... Fabric is in the dryer........Think I will start tracing while waiting for my fabric to dry. 

I love weekends!

Survived

First week of school down!  and all homework done.  Yay.  That means sewing all weekend!!!!!  Thanks for the well wishes!!! 

School starts today.....

For ME!   I actually have butterflies.  Only been 32 years since I sat in a class room.   Wish me luck!

McCall's The Perfect Shirtdress 5847

To cleanse my sewing pallette of the unsuccessful Colette attempt ( I think it was fabric choice and may try again), I decided to try the Perfect Shirt Dress by Palmer & Pletcsch.  McCalls 5847, I love a good fitting shirtdress.

Here is my review.



Pattern Sizing: 14-16, I cut a 16 even though for my measurements 41-34-42, it said to cut a 20.  I think they plan on way more ease than I wanted.



Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?   Yes, with exception of the sleeve roll up that I talk about later, and the first button placement is WAY lower that what appears in the photos.  I placed my first, right between my girls and it was perfect.

Were the instructions easy to follow?     They were. Although, I don't care for the way the collar was attached, very hard to get the fold under of the shoulder seam seam allowances just right they way they have you do it.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?    I love a shirt dress. I think with the princess seam shaping, it is flattering on any figures.



Fabric Used: A cotton / poly blend from JoAnns



Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:   I added a couple inches in length for view C and it still hits above my knee, for reference I am 5'9". 
I did not have enough fabric to cut the front section 4 times ( 2 times for facings) so the facings I cut and pieced fabric together. Since the seam is on the inside and falls at the waist, it is not noticeable. I also used cotton batiste for the interfacing of the entire center front sections and the collar, instead of any fusibles. One oddity on view C, they just have you do a narrow hem at the bottom of the sleeve and then roll it up. So the wrong side of your material would be visible for the sleeve roll. This is not apparent from the photo on the pattern envelope. I did not roll mine at all and just shortened the sleeve tab and used it anyway, as I liked the look.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?    I will, I think a few sleeveless ones for summer......



Conclusion:    I love this pattern.  It is well drafted and went together very nicely.   I traced and fit the pattern to my KG2 (body double) to see where it might need altering. I also compared it to the Butterick 5678 for the princess seam shaping. I had to remove a little of the curve above the bust area, just like with the butterick, my upper bust is just not very busty. (-: That was about all of the altering I had to do. I love all of the topstitching on the princess seams, gives the dress added structure and makes eveything hang very well.

Stay Happy and Keep Sewing!

Decisions

Do you ever get a fabric or pattern home, that you were once excited enough about - to happily pick all the necessary notions, then once you have it home, you wonder why?  Why did I chose this fabric?  Or Why did I chose this pattern?    I must have some sort of blinders on when I am fabric shopping or forget completely what types of clothing look best on me once the pages of the pattern catalogs begin to fly.  I am suffering from that today.  Not the fabric part, but more the pattern question.  I am making Colette 1018, the Jasmine.  I did not buy fabric for it, so I am using some stash fabric that is at least 20 years old to make a muslin.   Working on the bias is just not one of my favorite things, and usually results in clinging to body parts I prefer to not emphasize.   I am making the sleeves right now, but everytime I try it on, it just seems.......not me.  I don't know.  I am going to trudge on and hope for the best.  Maybe once it is all together, I will change my mind and love it.  One can hope, right?

Butterick 5678, my way

I finished the semi fitted, shirt which I wanted to use as a light jacket. I think it came out very nice. 

 Here is my review. 

Pattern Description: .....Semi fitted shirt with shoulder princess seams. various sleeve, cuff, collar options. I made view B with the pockets / tabs and sleeve / cuffs from view D.

Pattern sizing:  EE 14-20, I cut a 14/16

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?...................I was going for a light jacket vs a shirt, so mine looks a little heavier

Were the instructions easy to follow?.......... those that I looked at.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?............ I like the long look and slim effect. I prefer shirts / jackets with princess seams, I feel they are easier to fit than darts and give a more flattering silhouette.

Fabric Used:......... a light weight stretch cordoroy from Fabric.com, in raspberry that has been aging in my stash a few years. I can't remember where I read that you need to either not iron cordoroy or have a special cover to use. I used a big fluffy double folded, non linty towel to cover my ironing board and then used a light touch when steaming my seams. I found this preserved the nap very well.



Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:........ I like that this pattern has separate front pieces based on cup size. I always trace out my patterns on to tracing paper and then pin them together and fit them on KG2, my duct tape dummy, that way I can get a better idea of how the pattern will fit and can make adjustments to the tissue. I went with my cup size, but ended up having to adjust the above bust area in the princess seam.



I cut a 16 to start but sized down to a 14 beginning at the armscyce and above.



I contemplated putting on eppaluates, but when pinned on, my DH commented that I looked like I belonged in Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.



I used Beth from Rusty Bobbin tutorial on a one strip sleeve placket. Was a little challenging with cordoroy, but I did manage and I think they look pretty good. http://rustybobbin.com/blog/?p=342



I used a contrasting fabric for the under collar, inner stand, inner cuffs and under pocket tabs. I really like the look it give the jacket.



I have also found that on collars and cuffs and button plackets, I prefer to use sew in interfacing. I actually use prewashed fabric as the interfacing, either my fashion fabric or a piece of something similar weight. I have had fusible interfacings fail on me too many times after a couple washes. The fabric interfacing never shrinks or bubbles.



The hem is very curved, so to get a flatter hem, I stitched a gathering stitch about 1/4" from lower edge and then pulled the thread to ease in the curves and I folded under the remaining 3/8" for my hem.



Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Yes and Yes.  I have sewn it twice, once in view B with C sleeves and two pockets. I am contemplating the longer version D, we will see.





Conclusion:.... I really like the ease of fitting this shirt to your curves or lack thereof.

Stay Happy, Keep Sewing!

Absence

Why is it so hard to start blogging again after a long absence?  Many days I have almost posted and then thought, it doesn't matter.  But it must, because here I am again.  I guess whether or not anyone reads this is not the point, I think I just need to say it.

My 23 year old son is being deployed.......to Afghanistan.  Those words even typed bring a baseball sized lump to my throat and my tears are no longer under my control.  He is not to leave til October, and that is a long ways away.  I pray for an end to this war and a safe and early withdrawal for all our sons and daughters, husbands, brothers and sisters. 

I am hoping in time, I can just have faith and stop being an emotional wreck, but in the meantime, what seems to work is to just stay busy.  Sewing is a great way to stay busy. 

I am sewing Butterick 5678 right now.  For the second time. 

 

Hoping to post pictures soon. 

 

Stay Happy, Keep Sewing