Category Archives: Sewing

September 13, 2010 · 8:50 pm

This would be infinitely easier…

Sleeve pinned---almost looking good.

… if I had a dress-form.

I speak, of course, of trying to get the sleeves set in my winter coat. I got the rest of the lining cut out and mostly assembled, so all I need to do at this point is set the sleeves, construct the interlining, and then put the whole thing together.

Setting the sleeves is a problem.

This is because the sleeve I chose to use is not the sleeve which came with the pattern.

Typically when you do this, you choose a sleeve from a pattern that has worked well for you in the past, and then you copy the armscye from that

And straight... still some wrinkling on the inside.

pattern as well.

However, I didn’t actually have a sleeve from a jacket pattern that I liked. All I knew was that I wanted a two-piece sleeve and I didn’t like the sleeve that came with the pattern (which was one piece and designed for a puffed sleeve-head.)

So, I’m using the sleeve from this coat. Yeah, the one that I had all the trouble with. And there was no way I was copying the armscye that went with it.

I’m stupid that way. The armscye length was actually perfect (I measured), but I thought I should enlarge the sleeve a bit and cut the head extra-generous so I would have some wiggle room.

And, y’know, I think it can work. I’ve had it pinned into a reasonably functional position (on me) about five times in the last two hours.

I just can’t get it off to baste it without the pins popping. And I don’t think I can really baste it while I’m wearing it.

I was hoping to make a paper-tape dress form on the weekend, to address this very problem, but that didn’t happen (see the post about Sunday). And it probably won’t happen next weekend, as the hubby works. Unless I can conscript the children… I’ve already had to fight to keep them out of my precious paper tape. We’ll see how desperate I get.

I really, really, really would like to get this coat finished. It’s frickin’ cold here right now and the only coat I have is a very stylish, beautifully-draping raglan-sleeve dress coat I got at Value Village about twelve years ago. It’s been sitting mostly in my closet since then, probably for the same reason it was at Value Village in the first place: it has no buttons.

Yes, function was definitely secondary to form when that coat was designed. This is a bit of a pain, although it works pretty well with my new cardi-wrap if I throw one side of the wrap over my shoulder before I put on the coat. Just like having a big red scarf.

Oh, I guess there is the fur coat from my grandmother and the mink-trimmed coat from my sister-in-law, but a) that’s a bit dressy even for me and b) I don’t really need to be assaulted by PETAns on my way to work.

And speaking of the crappy weather, here’s my outfit today:

Self-Stitched September Day 13

Top: Simplicity cardi-wrap, Lydia top; Bottom: Kasia skirt.

Taken through the patio door so I didn't have to set the tripod up out in the rain.

Well, I think that’s all I have time for tonight. Wish me better luck with my sleeve-setting tomorrow!

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Tagged as in progress, plans, Self-stitched September, whining

September 12, 2010 · 6:36 pm

Little to report, Cap’n

I got da stuff.

Despite my best intentions, the day was unproductive, sewing-wise. I spent a lot of time running errands. I watched Ninja Assassin with the hubby. I gave in and bought Tyo a bunch of jeans (and a cool pair of high-tops) from Value Village for school, since she’s outgrown everything from last year and the hand-me-downs from her 13-year-old cousin are still too big.

What the labels were SUPPOSED to look like

I did finally take the opportunity while out and about to spend a little more of the money I shouldn’t be spending on a package of T-shirt transfer sheets. An hour or so of wrangling with Adobe Illustrator, and I had produced this (Click to see it full sized):

At this point the file decided to corrupt and refuse to print or save. Some cut-and-paste and swearing later, I had a new version, but for some reason most every time I tried to print the lettering would print out white. Even after saving it as a .pdf, which usually clears up most printing problems. Anyway, out of my entire first page of transfer paper I managed to get about a dozen usable labels. Compared to all this, ironing them on to the twill-tape was nothing.

So, without further adieu, here is my first branded piece of clothing: (yup, it’s the cardi-wrap, it was too much work to take off my pants to put the label on them 😉

“Strange Aeon” is a name I’ve wanted for my “brand” (of anything) ever since I first read the phrase. I’m sure someone else has used it already, but not, as far as I can tell, for clothes, so myeh. And since anyone who gets clothes from me is more likely to know my real name than my screen name, I put my real name on them.

I’m pretty sure I’ll change it up a bit next time—make the text a tiny bit larger, replace the cloudy background (that for some reason printed out green) with some kind of a border… anyway. They’re still fun. 🙂

Now to see how they hold up to the laundry…

What they actually look like.

In Self Stitched September news, here’s today’s outfit.

Day 12 outfit

You may be seeing more of this cardi-wrap than you want to. Since this is only one piece different than yesterday’s outfit, I figured I’d give you a different part of my backyard to see. Hmm, I think the other fence is definitely more photogenic, though.

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Tagged as DIY clothing labels, Self-stitched September, too much talk

September 11, 2010 · 4:19 pm

Cardi-what?

Simplicity 2603 Cari-Wrap

So bright ‘n early this morning I toodled off to Fabricland to score Simplicity 2603, as per (almost) all of the suggestions yesterday. A bit of tracing and layout juggling later, here I am. Despite the pattern calling for 2 3/4 yards for the small, I was able to squeeze it handily out of my 2m of fabric (about 2.2 yards, maybe?). The fact that my fabric was a smidge wider than 60″ helped, but really you can do better than the layout suggested. Other than that it is made up pretty much as directed, including the elastic in the back neck. Except for the sleeves, which I wanted to be full-

Cardi-Wrap Back

length but not with the weird cuff. I used my handy-dandy Lydia sleeve for a length reference, gave it a bit of a bell shape where the cuff would have been, and voila, nice long scooching-over-my-hands sleeves.

Those of you out there who don’t have ape arms, you have no idea how much satisfaction that fabric around my hands gives me. No idea at all.

I have wings!

So here it is, in all its cozy, elegant glory :D. It’s really too thick a fabric for a lot of the fancier wraps (most of which don’t really suit my figure anyway… I think you need to have curves if you’re going to go tying bulky stuff around you and have it look good)… but it’s certainly a step up from my usual bunnyhug, I think.

I’m counting this as my outfit for today cuz it’s so warm and cuddly there’s no way I’m taking it off. 🙂

Also, it probably would look even more awesome with the kick-ass boots, but I was trying to change it up a bit.

I am sneaky!

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Tagged as Cardi-Wrap, finished projects, Self-stitched September, Simplicity 2603

September 10, 2010 · 7:17 pm

Tyo’s Creation

Tyo's First Sewing Project

So after more than two weeks of being missing in action, the bag portion of Tyo’s first sewing project resurfaced in the “sewing room” (stuffed at the bottom of the bag with the Selfish Seamstress’s fabric, no less… That woman’s evil pervades everything she touches!). Since all that was needed to finish it off was one, maybe two seams, it really didn’t take long.

The kid, the bag, the cool socks

I wouldn’t really call it an independent sewing project—I did the darts in the bag, theapplique skull, and sewed the ribbon on the strap, but she did most of the rest, including turning the strap. Probably she could’ve done more if I could bear to be a bit more hands-off, but I have issues that way. It’s not good, I know.

But the bag looks pretty cool and she’s pretty stoked about it, so I’d say life is good. Now we just need to find a big skull button 🙂

The inside, fully lined

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Tagged as Diana bag, finished projects, Kid-Made

September 10, 2010 · 9:50 am

Second verse, same as the first!

Lydia, v. 4

Actually, this is what, version 4? Youch! But—take a look at that. And, since my preferred poses really don’t show the fit, here you go with

Lydia---front view

some straight-on shots.

Lydia, back view

Here’s what I did: Since people were divided on whether I needed less length (petite through the armscye) or less width (narrow shoulder/narrow back), I just went down to basically a 32 (I normally make a Burda 36, though I could probably get away with a 34 sometimes). Then I took a deep breath, had a minor panic-attack, and shortened the front even more. I also shortened the sleeve-cap (while trying to keep as much width as possible. Going down to the 32 took almost an inch off the back armscye, so I left it at that since there wasn’t as much gaping in the back. It looks pretty good now, but I think I could probably petite it even a little bit more; there’s a small amount of horizontal folding still happening along the shoulders at the back. Probably I could’ve kept a little more width in the back, but it’s comfy, anyway. The armpit sits incredibly high, but that’s comfy, too, actually.

My awesome neck binding!

The swayback is obviously still puddling like mad, though it doesn’t actually bother me. I have read a technique for shortening the back without a centre seam—basically you drop the neckline down at the top, squaring off the shoulders in the process—that might or might not help with that… maybe I’ll give it a try some other time. All in all, I am a pretty darn happy camper.

Here’s a closeup of my awesome neck binding! (Ok, not really awesome but I am pretty happy with it.

And now the neckline, which was too low on the last couple of attempts, is too high again. But we’re getting closer!

So—exciting? No. But comfy, and fitting much, much better, so a trimph. And apparently I’m petite from bust to shoulder. Who knew?

Also, how did the red background work out for photographing the black? I still don’t have anywhere inside that has adequate lighting, but I thought the red (which is my sweater knit by the way) might be better than a white wall or a black curtain.

Speaking of the red sweater knit, I’m a touch torn here on what to do with it. I want to make a flowy cardi-wrap. I have several options.

One is this tutorial here, which has the advantage of being free and cutting into the lovely fabric minimally. Another alternative is this Simplicity pattern that has all the rave reviews on PR; Simplicity patterns are on sale at Fabricland right now, which is good because I wouldn’t want to spend the full $15 on it. The third possibility is the Karen Cardigan off Burdastyle, probably with the waist-tie moved up to underbust level. Probably the Karen is my least favourite of the options… I’m wanting the long, long look.

Any thoughts? Anyone tried the tutorial? It seems a little too simple to be true, kind of thing.

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Tagged as finished projects, fitting, Lydia, Self-stitched September

September 9, 2010 · 9:48 am

All Emo’d up an nowhere to go…

Why so serious?

So yesterday I wrote, and bummed around, and wrote, and did some laundry, and wrote, and wished I was sewing, and wrote some more. Basically I was a good little scholar. What I didn’t do was get motivated to do anything like fix my hair, put on makeup, and take pictures. Anyway, I was wearing the same thing as today, only without the long-sleeved Lydia underneath (it was in the laundry. I better hurry up and make a dozen or so more of these…). We are definitely getting into repeats territory here, folks, and with the weather being crummy I can’t even spice up my photos out-of-doors. Also finding sewing time in the afternoon/evening now that the kids are back in school is getting HARD. It’s like I put them to bed, make lunches for the next day, and all of a sudden it’s time to go to bed myself. Also last night we played Dragon Age: Origins (Witch Hunt), which was technically my birthday present so I couldn’t really ditch to go sew.

Contemplating the rain...

But here’s me for today, anyway. The weather has gone craptacular the last couple of days (not that it’s been good for over a week at this point, though no snow yet thankfully), so today’s photos are a reflection of my state of mind. I guess I should really be wearing the black jeans to complete the outfit, but I think all y’all get the idea.

Blue fabric for the Ten Year Old, yellow for the Seven Year Old.

Just to prove that I am still at least thinking about sewing, here’s some fabrics the kids picked out on the weekend. Well, Syo* picked them out, Tyo was home sick, and I’m not sure she’s thrilled about the sparkly blue remnant Tyo picked, but she’s stuck with it. Syo’s yellow is slated to become one of these sundresses (nothing like sewing seasonally, I tell ya), and Tyo wants the top from this outfit. Yes, that is a page from Patrones. No,

Patrones Kids' issue... Tyo* wants this outfit. The whole thing.

I haven’t found a local source for these… this was a another “gift” from Her Selfishness**—two whole, kids-only issues of Patrones magazine. To be fair, the kids have only earmarked about half the patterns for me to make. And I do better muddling through the instructions in Spanish than I would in most other languages (I don’t speak Spanish other than what you pick up from Dora the Explorer, but I do have a bit of French)

And on that note, I had best get back to my work. Thanks again for all the birthday wishes, and also the help from the people who commented on the Lydia fit issues.

Now... back to work!

*I’ve decided to knock off Beangirl and start calling my kids Syo (the seven-year-old) and Tyo (the ten year old). It’s not quite as cool as her T-Bo and T-Lo (The Big One and The Little One) but I’m getting tired of writing out “the seven year old” every time. This will work okay until next summer when they turn eight and eleven and are suddenly both ‘Eyo’. Meh.

**Doubtless a calculated attempt to distract my from my own selfish sewing… children’s clothes are no threat to her sewing supremacy, after all.

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Tagged as fabric, plans, Self-stitched September, too much talk

September 7, 2010 · 11:17 am

No Sew So

Sorry.

Today is my birthday. On top of that, it’s my thirtieth birthday. Probably I am doing nothing special (except trying to deny its happening), but practically that means there will be no sewing today. Some friends came by with a surprise cake yesterday, too, so there was no sewing yesterday. Also today needs to be full of paper-writing. Lots and lots of paper-writing. But that’s another story.

Cake!

At the risk of starting a tradition of cakes on sewing blogs (I am not a foodie and don’t read cooking blogs for a REASON), here is the cake my friend’s mom made me. Isn’t it awesome? It smells really good, too, but I am trying to save it for tonight.

I still need to do another Lydia version (by the way, for those who have commented on my prolific sewing-rate over the weekend… aside from sewing the hem (done by hand while watching a movie with my kids), the gathered skirt took less than two hours, including a muslin of the yoke, and the Lydia took a similar amount of time. I really am not a sewing machine. The quick projects are sure nice, though.

Also, Self-Stitched September, Day 7.

Since it’s my birthday, I decided to wear my Danielle Dress. Since it’s freakin’ cold again (having my birthday at the beginning of September, I am always hoping for lingering summer weather. I am pretty much always disappointed, too), I am layering it over my black Lydia and Jalie Jeans (again… I warned you there would be repeats!) This fails to hide the poor shoulder-sewing on the Lydia, and the necklines don’t quite match up, but on the whole I like the look. Especially with the boots. Kick-ass boots make almost everything better.

Birthday outfit

Birthday Outfit

Birthday Outfit---Sorry for the squinting.

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Tagged as Self-stitched September, too much talk

September 6, 2010 · 1:06 pm

Lydia struggles

Lydia v.3---lightened considerably

I thought I was almost there, folks, I really did. I figured this would be the one.

Instead, here I am (once again) questioning my validity as a sewist and my ability to produce anything resembling a wearable garment.

After the last Lydia, which was really gapy around the neck and seemed to ride up, I took a tuck in the neckline (to reduce gapiness) and altered the side-curve, which was really a little too long for my rather short waist. I also raised the neckline by a good inch. I really thought that would do it, folks. I thought I was there.

Well, this version (which admittedly is out of a different fabric) has the exact same problems! Still bulging in front above the bust (unless I pull it down, but it comes up again as soon as I raise my arms), still too low-cut. (Incidentally, when it rides up to where it seems to want to sit, the neckline is perfect). It feels like the whole front shoulder (between bust and shoulder seam) is too long. Yet when it’s in it’s “comfy position” the bottom of the armscye is way up in my armpit. It’s not uncomfortable (quite the opposite), but it seems unusual.

Here you can see the "bulge" in front of the shoulder best.

I wonder if maybe I’m trying to get this pattern to be something it wasn’t meant to, though. I want a close-fitting shirt I can layer under other stuff (see today’s SSS outfit below)—but the pattern itself seems to have a lot more ease and maybe be intended for a looser kind of garment? I feel like the sleeve cap and armscye are not the right shape for what I’m wanting—it seems to bind and pull up. I’m guessing I need a shorter armscye and shorter (maybe wider?) sleeve-head.

It didn’t help that I experimented with setting the sleeves in before the sideseams, which is a quicker and easier way to install it a) if there isn’t too much sleeve-head ease and b) if you’re better at keeping your stretch tension even than I am. So I’m going to ignore the ripply parts of the shoulder seam as being a problem with my stitching. When it’s “sitting comfy” the shoulder seam is in about the right place (but very loose due to the front pouffing) but when it’s tucked down the shoulder seam seems to fall a bit to the back.

On the other hand, it’s comfy, warm (which I really need today, despite the bright sun in the photos below, it is NIPPY), the sleeves are deliciously over-long (I added a good 3″ in length), and the waist curve seems to sit in a better place than the last one. I think it will be great for layering, assuming I can wrap my head around layering something warm under something chilly (usually I do the other way around). The pictures don’t look too awful, partly because you can hardly see anything ;).

And, I have enough fabric left to give it another go…

Edited to add back view---not that you can see much (crummy black)

Also, I experimented with a different technique for finishing the hems: incorporating a clear elastic. This is supposed to prevent stretching-out and tunnelling of your twin-needle stitches. I am not totally sold. When I tried to attach the elastic first (with a triple zig-zag) and then fold it under and topstitch with the twin needle, it was impossible to get the elastic to feed at the same rate as the shirt fabric (and I’m not up for sandwiching tissue paper into the mix just for a hem finish) When I just tucked the elastic inside a fold and double-stitched, it worked a bit better but I still didn’t have much control of the elastic tension, and there still seems to be a fair bit of tunneling. We’ll see how it holds up after a few washing, but for the most part I don’t think I’ll bother next time.

On the other hand I’m getting almost good at incorporating the elastic into the neck binding, which looks almost store-bought, at least from the outside. 🙂

Self-Stitched September, Day 6:

More goofy poses!

Messing around. At least it's sunny!

Two pieces that I didn’t have at the beginning of the month!

Now, if I can just make a topper and maybe another pair of jeans… Oh yeah, and that winter coat.

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Tagged as finished projects, Lydia, Self-stitched September

September 5, 2010 · 12:46 pm

Splurgey Splurgertons

It’s almost my birthday. I can justify it. Right?

Fabric!

My favourite was this red sweater knit. It was NOT cheap, but none of the cheaper alternatives had this fabulous colour. But I got two yards; I’m hoping I can get a warm topper and a long-sleeve shirt out of it (I may be overly optimistic). I also got a couple of yards of a much more reasonably priced plain black knit, from which I hope to get a long-sleeved Lydia that could be worn under nearly anything as the weather gets colder, and maybe a better version of one of my cowl-necks. Ichigogirl has a tutorial on Burdastyle for putting cap-sleeves on her cowl neck top, and they look great. What really broke the bank (it is, after all, a very small bank) was the 4m of black Kasha lining I picked up for my Lady Grey (I haven’t picked a fabric yet, but linings were 50% off and black seemed a safe bet for whatever. I want it in red, of course, ideally with a black hem- and cuff-stripe and points across a lapel 🙂 )

Self Stitched September (day 5): Fall Arrives

Sept. 5

If it weren’t here already, anyway. The forecast daytime high is like 11C.

Top: Cowl Neck Top

Bottoms: Jalie 2908 (black, skinny version)

On the plus side, I finally made some progress on the winter coat!!! And I might even love it after all.

Winter coat!

I don’t think this picture really does it justice… I love how long and full the skirt is! Of course, now I need to get the sleeves on, which is going to be where the fit hits the shan, as I’m using a different sleeve. I cut it with lots of ease in the sleeve cap, so I’m hoping by dint of a lot of basting I can get it working. It would be a lot easier if I had a dress form. I’m really glad I shortened the upper chest of the pattern—the bust fits in a better spot now and I think the armpits won’t look so droopy as they do on the pattern envelope. The waist seems really high but it actually hits at my natural waist, as opposed to an inch below it where most stuff hits. I also have the lining partly cut out. Now I need to do a no-seam-allowance version of the bodice for the interlining.

But I’m probably going to work on a Lydia instead.

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Tagged as fabric, Self-stitched September, too much talk, Winter Coat

September 4, 2010 · 10:15 am

WWSSD? (What Would Selfish Seamstress Do?)

Probably not this.

Gathered skirt

Yes, this is the other piece of “nice” fabric Her Selfishness accidentally included with the poly chiffon and fun-fur. (Don’t you worry… we’re getting to the fun fur.) It is apparently a Vera Wang jaquard. This probably makes it the first “designer” fabric I’ve ever had the privilege of mangling. It’s navy/black, variably shiny, with a pattern of concentric circles. It’s crisp to the point of cardboardy and takes a crease very nicely. It would make an extremely elegant coat, ball-gown (if I had, y’know, more than about 3/4 of a metre), or maybe even a sheath-dress for someone with superior fitting skills.

I made a gathered skirt.

In hindsight, it might have been better pleated. Or perhaps I should’ve paid attention to the 2:1 golden rule of gathering, rather than just taking a double-width panel and

Gathered from the back

gathering it all onto my skirt yoke. If I could’ve made it longer I would have—or rather, I’d have made it about the same length but with a wider hem. I think it needs a little bit more weight at the hem… Or something. Anything to reduce that pouf! The pouf does not help with the natural tendency of such skirts to be longer at the front than the back.

Actually, the pictures look pretty good, about what I was going for, so perhaps it’s just that I need a petticoat or bloomers underneath (Madeleine, anyone?) to reduce the feeling of “my bum is hanging out in space” that I get when wearing this. It certainly doesn’t need a crinoline for volume.

This is, however, another item that is not likely to make it into my regular rotation of clothing, and hence not something I should’ve been working on during my precious Self-Stitched September sewing time. I can only conclude that there was some seriously evil mojo infused into that fabric her Selfishness “gave” me.

Pouf!

Or, y’know, that sometimes you just have to make a pouffy skirt.

I used the yoke from the A-Plus A-Line on Burdastyle (graded from a size 4 at the hip to a size 8 at the waist as I didn’t want it sitting at my natural waist), and just gathered the rectangular panels to it. I made my first attempt at a lapped zipper on the side, which turned out awful. If I really want a nice zipper I should really bite the bullet and do it by hand, but I already did the whole hem by hand last night and I didn’t feel like it.

In Self-Stitched September News, Day 4: Are you sick of JJ’s yet?