Week 3 ( Feb. 14th – Feb. 20th) Module 3
1. Seam Finishes, pages 39-41
– Serge Finish
– Overlock Finish
– French seams
2. Hem Finishes, pages 42-46
– Bagged Hem
– Rolled Turned Hem
– Bias Bagged Hem
– Bias Bound Hem
Week 1 ( Jan. 30th – Feb. 5th) Module 1 Here
Week 2 (Feb. 6th – Feb.13th) Module 2 Here
Marla
Week 2 ( Feb. 6th – Feb. 13th) Module 2
1. Sew around a curve and clip every 2 inches, pg 29
2. One curve in, one curve out activity, pages 30-33
3. Dart Activity, pages 34-36
4. Multiples Darts activity, pages 37-38
Week 1 ( Jan. 30th – Feb. 5th) Module 1 Here
Marla
… Jalie 2908
GARMENT: Pants
STYLE: Jeans
FABRIC CONTENT: 12 oz. Stretch Denim – 97% Cotton/3% Spandex- Fabric.com
COLOR: Dark Grey
TRIM NOTES:
Grey & Silver thread for sewing and topstitching
Navy Jean Zipper
Paisley Dark Grey & Navy Cotton for Front Pocket Linings and Fly Facing
Jean Button
PATTERN NOTES:
Full inner thigh adjustment – The Perfect Fit
4 inch Length adjustment – The Perfect Fit
SEWING NOTES:
Used Jean-A-Ma-Jig for bulk areas like belt loops and hemming.
DETAILS: I really like these jeans but right now they are just sitting on my body. They have more of a “relaxed” fit rather than a snug stretched fit. I sewed the size DD and the fit is okay, but for stretch jeans I think I prefer them tighter. I think I could have dropped down a size for a better fit. I agree with most of the Pattern Reviews…2 inches or so out of the waistband to prevent that back waist venting issue would work well.
I did a full inner thigh adjustment that worked out rather well. After reading the reviews about the slim fit in the thigh area, I knew I would need it. I used a flat pattern measurement and followed the instructions in The Perfect Fit. I also lengthen 4 inches based on my height and the fact that I will dress these up with a pair of heels or some boots.
My favorite part of the jeans is the hemming. I used my Jean-A-Ma-Jig which I’ve had for years and have never used. Along with these fabulous instructions here, the hem turned out amazing. No puckering at all. I have to say myself, they look professional.
CONCLUSION: Yes this is redundant, but the jeans are just amazing! I will sew them again and work out the fitting issues. They are all that.
Marla
PATTERN: The Oversized Fashionista Bag via The Bag Making Bible
GARMENT: Purse/Handbag
STYLE: Oversized Fashionista
FABRIC CONTENT: Leather, Suede, Poly Lining
COLOR: Black & Houndstooth
TRIM NOTES:
Black Thread
Fusible Fleece – Joann’s
Black Fusible Interfacing – Joann’s
7 inch Nylon Zipper – Joann’s
15 3/8 Flexi- tube – http://www.u-handbag.com/
Antique brass heavy purse chain (11 inches) http://www.u-handbag.com/
Antique brass bolt snaps – (4) 2 from Joann’s, 2 from http://www.u-handbag.com/
Antique brass D rings – (2) –http://www.u-handbag.com/
Antique brass twist lock –http://www.u-handbag.com/
Antique brass 1/2 in grommets (2) Not installed as of yet
PATTERN NOTES:
Pattern traced and cut out – No changes
SEWING NOTES:
All handles, straps, and flaps sewn single fold to eliminate bulk
Pocket interfaced
Needle 70/10 for lining fabric
Needle 90/14 for single fold layers, handles, side flaps, and topstitching
Needle 100/16 for construction and assembly of bag
Used teflon foot
DETAILS: Its bittersweet. Love the size and design of the bag. The instructions given were fantastic! But, constructing and assembling the bag was tough because of the many layers and textures. My machine sewed kicking and screaming all the way. I’m sure she needs servicing.
I purchased most of the handbag hardware from U-Handbags . They sent Gummy candy too :~D. The best choice for me was antique brass because I find it to be neutral and will allow me to pair the bag with many looks as opposed to highly polished nickel or gold hardware.
1/2 inch grommets on the other hand were a little difficult to find. Maybe the website will offer them soon?! I found several kind locally, but none were 1/2 inch and antique brass. They were more like 7/16 and antique brass. I have tried to use them, but my bolt snaps will not fit. Soooo…In the meantime, the purse will be without the grommets, but I will not tote it until I have them. If all else fails, I will purchase the high polished gold ones and apply them. Yuck.
The leather was a piece I’ve had in my stash for many years. It was purchased from a Tandy Leather store in my home town. The suede flap was courtesy of a skirt purchased from Newport News years ago. Boy did I wear that skirt many times! So I decided to brush it off and vacuum it to refurbish and cut out the purse flap to refashion it!
Edge Kote was added to all raw leather edges to seal including the shoulder strap loops, shoulder strap, the shoulder strap chain loops, and the piped handle. After all of the handling, the purse became somewhat dull. Hence the Saddle soap (on the leather part only).
CONCLUSION: I love this bag. The instructions are easy to follow and I will sew another one! If anyone decides to sew this one up, be sure to have all notions needed and sew on a good heavy-duty machine as I should have. Unfortunately, my heavy-duty machine is out of commission. Sad.
Marla
I really want to sew a Little Black Dress and I was so upset when the class I’d planned to attend fell through (Read Here). I mean I really really want to sew a cute, sophisticated, well-fitted Little Black Dress. So, I decided to conduct my own personal do-it-yourself class using the book The Little Black Dress by Simon Henry. I have chosen to sew the Audrey dress.
I decided to section the class into 12 Weekly Modules over a 3 month period:
Week 1 ( Jan. 30th – Feb. 5th) Module 1
*Gather notions & sewing essentials needed
*Set tension for fabric type – Muslin
*Choose correct needle size
*Mark Seam allowance on machine
*Practice straight seam stitch
*Practice lock stitch on beginning and end of seams
*Press seams flat
I know what you’re thinking…Those are the basics…Things I should know, right? You’re correct. But I decided to go into this project completely ignorant. I am going to read the book thoroughly (again) and follow the instructions step by step no matter how juvenile it seems. Why? Because I “really want to sew a cute, sophisticated, well-fitted Little Black Dress”!
This will not be a tutorial but a mere walk-through if you will of the steps I will take to achieve the dress I want. Once the dress is complete, I will do a full post on it.
For those of you who have the book and don’t mind proceeding slowly, please fill free to follow along.
Marla
PATTERN: McCall’s M6163
GARMENT: Dress
STYLE: Mock Wrap
FABRIC CONTENT: Mixed Media Curry Floral Sweater Knit – 95% Poly/5% Spandex, @Joanne’s w/50% coupon
COLOR: Black, Ivory, Gray
TRIM NOTES:
Slate Grey & Black Toldilock Serger Thread
Black Fusible Tricot
Black Fusible Interfacing
(8) 3/8 matte finished filigree buttons
PATTERN NOTES:
View D w/belt
Pegged skirt
Swayback adjustment
Raised neckline
Hem band
SEWING NOTES:
Used zigzag stitch for assembly; Serged finished seam allowances.
Interfaced Collar, Collarband, Cuffs, and Belt
Fused Tricot to all pieces except for those interfaced.
DETAILS: The dress was pegged for a total of 3 inches off the circumference. I made a 2 inch swayback adjustment and raised the front neckline using the pivot and slide method. After reading several Pattern Reviews, and viewing the model on the pattern closely (Her dress is pinned at the neckline) I decided this was needed. As a result of raising the collar, I think this caused my collar to sit a little wide as you can see from the pictures. I may need to revisit that pivot and slide method to see where I went wrong.
The sweater knit was a 2 way stretch and due to the layout, the stretch happen to be horizontal. I decided to fuse tricot to the entire dress to stabilize it and prevent growth. This was a good idea because I did not want the dress too clingy and I also wanted it to assist in camouflaging any lumps and bumps. This is also why I decided to cut out the size 20 instead of the size 18, because I knew I did not want it to stretch. My dilemma was whether to use white or black tricot? I decided on black because it turned the ivory to ecru which is a better color for me. The white only made the ivory more ivory – opaque like.
I decided to omit the zipper — ONLY because I was too lazy and did not want to deal with inserting a zipper on the thick sweater knit gathers. Else, that zipper would have been inserted without any qualms. I know a lot of people detest zippers in knit and I truly understand, but on this occasion and given my fabric choice and treatment of it, I think it would have worked well.
For some strange reason I forgot to lengthen the dress and during the fitting realized that it was 3 inches too short. I’m 5’10 and lengthening is always a must for me. I cannot understand how I forgot that?…Again, strange. So I drafted a 4 inch hem band and applied it using a ½ seam allowance and turning a 1/2 hem. I was afraid this would take away from the fabulous-ness of this dress but it only added a little more character.
CONCLUSION: This pattern is phenomenal and an easy sew! It is very flattering for us Curvy girls (READ: Plus-sized.). I prefer Curvy. It’s very versatile and can be worn to the office, a concert in the park, to church…The list goes on. You will see this one again from me in many of the variations that are offered. Pick it up!
Marla
PATTERN: Butterick B5087
GARMENT: Jacket
STYLE: Shawl Collar, Double Breasted
FABRIC CONTENT: 100% Worsted Wool – Fabric.com @$7.98yd
COLOR: Charcoal Grey Pinstripe
TRIM NOTES:
Slate Grey Toldilock Serger Thread
Black Fusible Tricot
Black Fusible Interfacing
(2) 1/2 inch snaps
Prong-less Belt Buckle
PATTERN NOTES:
View C
Cut Fabric on single fold for striping
SEWING NOTES:
Serge finished Back, Side backs, Side fronts, Sleeves, Cuffs, and Back Facing
Fused Tricot to Back, Side backs, Side fronts, Back Facing, and Sleeves
Interfaced Front, Under Collar, Cuffs, and Belt
DETAILS: This pattern happened to be sitting in my stash and I was searching for something easy for my first entry into the Stitcher’s Guild Jacket A Month For 2011 sew along.
No adjustments were made though after construction, and a quick try on, I realized there were two I could have used: 1) Sway back and 2)Waist (2in decrease) to give the jacket a better fit. This is evident from the gathering at the belt…even on the dress form. I guess I assumed there would be no need for adjustment due to the belt. Of course, I am the one who will notice this as the problem is very minor, but you know as artist we can be very anal. Oh well, I’m learning. I will say that it does fit me much better than does on the dress form.
I did end up with some puckering at the neckline as well. This occurred once I did the under-stitching as suggested. Hopefully a good hard press and steaming will minimize the puckers. If that does not work, I will remove the under-stitch completely as a fix. We will see.
The fabric has a nice drape and was great to work with; There was very little fraying. I decide to use fusible tricot in the jacket for longevity. I’ll let you in on a secret…I’ll be using tricot on my next project as well. I just love the stuff.
CONCLUSION: Flattering Pattern. Easy to sew. Well worth trying.
Marla
PATTERN: Self Drafted Skirt from sew what! SKIRTS
GARMENT: Skirt
STYLE: Pencil
FABRIC CONTENT: 100% Silk Suiting – Fabric.com @$4.99yd
COLOR: Guinevere Cream
TRIM NOTES:
Natural Colored All-Purpose Thread
Cream Anti-Static Lining – Joann’s
White Fusible Interfacing
7 inch zipper in Natural
PATTERN NOTES:
Pegged skirt for a total of 3 inches
2-1/2 swayback adjustment
Added a double fold kick pleat
1 inch tummy adjustment
Drafted waistband facings
Basic front and back darts added
SEWING NOTES:
Serge finished all fashion fabric pieces
French seams at lining side seams
1-1/2 inch single fold hem on fabric
2 inch double fold hem on lining – 1 inch per fold
DETAILS: This was my first time drafting a skirt, drafting anything for that matter. I drafted the Straight Skirt, Fitted Waist version and chose the “for back zipper” option as well found on page 18 of the book. I also drafted a waistband facing, but as you can see from the photo above, the facing did not align with the side seams. I am sure this is what caused the pucker at the waist front. I must admit, I failed to read the instructions for the facing and did it my way…Wrong! Truly a bad habit of mine; I should take my time and read rather than “skim”.
I made additional alterations to the pattern such as swayback and tummy adjustment, added a kick pleat, and pegged the side seams as per Sandra Betzina’s instructions in Power Sewing Step-By-Step. Did a standard center zipper insertion which was easy enough though at a closer look, it looks amateur. Hopefully a trip to cleaners will remedy that.
Other than the ill-fitted waistband facing and zipper, the skirt fits very well! And the kick pleat?…Kicks a#@! This is the third kick-pleat I’ve ever done in my life and I’m proud! My only issue is the left side where it was not “double folded”. I was sewing the kick-pleat completely from memory via a class I had taken and I am sure I missed a step. I think I should have made one side of the skirt double fold and the other single fold?…Maybe? Not sure. I will have to put the steps to paper and make note of where I went wrong.
CONCLUSION: Drafting this skirt was quick, easy, and fun. This is sure to be a pattern I will use over and over again as it fits well. My plan is to sew 20 pencil skirts this year. Count this wearable muslin as skirt #1! Going forward, I plan to READ the instructions to draft a better waistband facing, work on a more professional looking centered zipper, use invisible zippers, and perfect the kick-pleat. Practice makes perfect!
Marla
PATTERN: Hot Patterns Deco Vibe Mighty Aphrodite Draped T-Shirts
GARMENT: Top
STYLE: T-Shirt
FABRIC CONTENT: 65%Poly/35%Rayon Knit
COLOR: Red/Cream
TRIM NOTES:
Red & Natural Colored All-Purpose Thread
White Fusible Tricot Interfacing
PATTERN NOTES:
Graded from a size 18 to size 20 at waist
SEWING NOTES:
Self-fabric interfaced on bodice
Tricot knit interfaced sleeves
Serge finished all raw edges
Used ruche sleeve treatment for both sleeves
DETAILS: Be careful when tracing or cutting this pattern. Somehow the numbering was flipped and if not careful you will end up with misshapen garment. Maybe I received one from a bad batch of patterns and now (hopefully) this has been corrected. A good idea would be to trace the pattern piece with a highlighter or marker before tracing and/or cutting.
My fabric of choice held from Fabric.com. I purchased 3 yds @ $3.59 per yd. A gorgeous fabric yet very thin so I decided to self line the top to give it a little body. I also wanted to ruche both sleeves and since I only had enough material to self-line the bodice, I lined the sleeves with a fusible tricot. This worked out very well and gave the sleeves a really nice drape. Once done, I serged all unfinished seams.
Note: When preparing to ruche the sleeves, be sure to follow the instructions given; It works! For a brief explanation see my Pattern Review.
CONCLUSION: Love the sleeve options, the shoulder draping, and the drawstring addition for creating a fabulous drape at the waist. A pretty easy sew but must have general knowledge of construction. A great wardrobe builder and its trendy, versatile, and a must-have!
Marla
I was so giddy, elated, and just doggone gung-ho during the month of December. Why? Well not because of Christmas as one would believe. Nope. I was gleaming with joy because Marguerite LeBlanc, owner of Marguerite’s Sewing School here in Nashville, had emailed the Winter sewing classes she would offer. Scrolling through the list of classes what did I see? There in big bold letters “Little Black Dress”…Oh my!…Using pattern M6028…What!? My dream came true. You see I’ve wanted to sew M6028 ever since I made the purchase a year ago but have been hesitant. And to offer it up as a Little Black Dress to boost? Pure genius! I also needed/need a fabulous new Little Black Dress to attend many social events with The Little Black Dress Club of which I am a member. So I promptly sent my payment and began my journey to find the perfect fabric. I would spare no expense. None. January 4th (first day of class) wouldnt get here fast enough!
Class Description:
With a description like that how could I resist?
Needless to say, the night before class I was growing more and more excited. I’ve taken a class at the school before and must say the instructors and instructions given are fabulous! The experience and camaraderie shared with others in the class was amazing. So I knew I would love this class as I had the other.
I got an inkling to check my email before bed and there in my inbox, an email from Marguerite. I grew excited; I thought maybe she was sending a reminder of the class, time, and possibly listing some items to bring along. I eagerly opened the email and after reading the salutation, the two most dreaded words followed…”Bad news”. She went on to say there was not enough interest in the class to offer it. BUMMER! I was distraught. My feelings were hurt. Marguerite went on to accomodate me and offered a class titled Sit N Sew. This class allows you to choose your own pattern and the instructor will assist you with all the fitting, alterations, and sewing treatments you desire. I declined. One, the class was offered on a night I am not available and two, I really wanted to work on this project collectively with others to share various issues, techniques, and sewing stories. Again, bummer!
Today I received a gorgeous note card from Marguerite returning my payment. In the card she offered kind words and thanked me for my patronage to her. See the card below.
Black Dress Note Card
A classy card from a classy lady. Just like the very classy Little Black Dress. Hopefully there will be more interest this Summer. Sigh.
Marla
The Sewphisticated Artisan 