This is the first Burda pattern I’ve sewed.  It’s Burda 7761, a very cute jumper.  The pattern is also from an older BWOF issue, but I wasn’t a loyal subscriber yet.  From what I can tell, the sizing is the same as the magazine patterns.  I sewed a size 40 and made no alterations.  I didn’t read the directions in detail, but they seem to be more helpful than those in the magazine.  This was easy to sew up.  I interfaced the waist band with fusible tricot and finished the front and neck edge with bias tape:

All seams were serged.  The fabric is a thick wool jersey that Mom destashed to me.

Worn over Simplicity 2603 (llluuuuvvv that top!). 

On the knitting front, my Vivian cardi is coming along:

This is such a cool knitting pattern, the fronts and back are knitted together as one piece, up to the armholes.  I just started on the first sleeve.  Usually I work the 2 sleeves at the same time, but I can’t figure out a way to do that with this one, since the directions have you working the sleeves in the round (I hate doing one sleeve at a time).  Obviously, I’ve taken a break from sewing up my Contest clothes, so I guess I’d better get back to it.  I only have a shirt and pair of pants left to make!

…and

The wool jersey jumper is new, something I just completed, Burda 7761.  I’ll review it later, here’s a peak:

Great pattern!  Here’s hoping I can at least get Honorable Mention?

This one will hopefully be a wee bit easier than the wardrobe contest I’m trying to finish on Pattern Review.  I’ve decided to enter another wardrobe contest of sorts.  You can find the details over at Jordana Paige's Blog.  She makes an EXCELLENT point about wearing all of the beautiful clothes we all make or knit.  I can so relate to the fact that even though I have a bunch of beautiful handmade items in my closet (items that I LOVE), it’s more the case that I’m reaching for jeans and t-shirts to wear for the day.  Basically, the challenge is this:  put together 3 different looks using one of her designed sweaters (that you’ve knitted, of course).  I happen to have 2 JP designed sweaters, so I plan on entering twice.  The winner receives a fabulous JP knitting bag (I love these, and I already have 2 of them!)  Here are the JP designed sweaters:

Crossed front tank from Vogue Knitting spring/summer ‘05

Starsky Cardigan from Knitty 

Three different looks per sweater, huh? I’m putting on my thinking cap….I really wanna new bag!

Simplicity 2603 again, this time I just left the edges raw.  I did add elastic at the neck, though.  I love this cool variegated stretch lace from Gorgeous Fabrics.  I highly recommend the site, if you’ve never ordered from there.  This is one seriously easy project, I cut and finished in a few hours.  EASY! 

Here’s my topper item for the Wardrobe contest.

The fabric is some sort of jersey from www.fabric.com, of course.  This goes together very easily.  What I need to decide, is whether or not I’m happy with this hem.  This is a 3-thread stretch stitch done on my serger with wooly nylon in one looper.  I thought I had the differential feed adjusted properly, but I should have done some more adjusting.  I just finished the edge with no seam allowance turned under.  When worn down and open like this, the edges are wavy.  Does this bother me? Should it matter?  I don’t know.  When I wrap it around like so,

…The wavy hem disappears.  I serged the sleeve hem the same way.

I think if I had enough fabric, I would add a binding edge all the way around, but I used every BIT of fabric for this.  I made up a medium, which when you include the tank top, calls for 4 yards!  Another possibility would be to cut off the serged edge and just leave the edges raw.  I just need to decide what to do.

Here’s the tank top:

Very cute!

I had to add a center back seam, due to my fabric shortage, so I probably won’t wear this without something over it.

back view, again with the wavy hem (apparently, this is going to bother me since I keep mentioning it…)

This is my favorite way to wear this, both sides draped over the opposite shoulder.

This is a great pattern, and I plan on making it again in a stretch lace, that is if I have enough of it!

…and don’t we all love them?  I took the plunge this year and joined the Magnolia Society Sweater Club over at www.madelinetosh.com.  It’s basically a prepaid subscription for different shipments of yummy hand dyed yarns.  In this case, I get enough to make one sweater per shipment.  Here’s my first shipment:

This is the worsted weight wool/silk blend hand-dyed in Lapis.  Feels like butta……and, the pictures don’t even do the color justice!  Oh my, this is beautiful yarn!  I can see this made up in some sort of raglan sleeve pattern, perhaps this one:

Pattern is Ingenue by Wendy Bernard.

I also ordered a few Hot Patterns:

Love them all!

Jalie 2566

I got this gorgeous orange knit from Textile Studios…I LOVE this stuff!  It’s so light and drapey!  This is the second Jalie pattern I’ve made, and I’m most definitely a fan.  The pattern is the Twin Set.  Both pieces wonderful, the fit was spot on.  I made a size U, according to my measurements.  The only quibble i had with the pattern was the 1/4” seam allowances.  Too close for comfort for me, but it turned out fine.  I love the Tee pattern:

(Tee with my fabulous Jalie stretch jeans!)

I made both the cardi and tee in a few hours.  Every seam was serged.  I left the sleeve hems unfinished:

Both garments on me:

The original pattern calls for a button band down the front, but I just bound the edges and added one hook-and-eye closure at the bust.  The cardi sleeves are a bit long, but I left them that way and I also left the hems unfinished.  I printed out the instructions from the website, but I didn’t really use them.  I set the sleeves in flat with no problem.  I’m envisioning so many things you can do to this basic pattern.  Take a look at the Anthropologie website and you’ll see what I mean.  I was thinking of maybe adding a shawl collar or lots of gathered ruffle strips down the front to this, but in the end, I left it plain.  I think I’ll shop my stash for a cool sweater knit and whip out another of these beauties!

Garment #5 and #6 complete!

I finally started my hooded cardigan.  The pattern is called Vivian from Twist Collective.  Fabulous pattern, knit with fronts and back together as one piece.  Lots of cables!  I’m using a navy cotton/wool blend yarn called Main Line from Knit Picks.

Garment #4:  The Puffy Shirt

I made a bunch of serious mistakes in this shirt, but I kept going thinking that they wouldn’t be glaringly visible.  Plus, I’m hoping this shirt will grow on me; this one’s definitely out of my comfort zone.  Interestingly, if you’re a fan of CAbi Clothes, there is a shirt almost exactly like this one in the Fall ‘09 Catalogue (I can’t figure out how to link the shirt).  About the only differences I can tell are the sleeves are more fitted and it’s made out of a charmeuse type material.  Incidentally, this shirt would be LOVELY in a thin satin, I think!

Back

The biggest mistake I made with this shirt began with the confusing center front pattern piece:

Now, I know, this was a multi-purpose pattern piece, meant for other shirts in the magazine, so there are lots of numbers and markings not meant for this shirt.  I’ve figured that one out.  But look.  There’s a CF marking, an unlabeled line, a facing fold line, and a generic “fold” line.  Where do I fold? And, why would I fold this all up when I have a separate center front band piece? UGH! *rescue me, big 4, spoon feed me my directions!  My brain is too addled to figure this out!!*  AHEM!!  Okay, so here’s what I THINK you’re supposed to do.  Add a seam allowance to the furthest line to the left (I labeled it after I figured this out) and cut there.  Basically, you will attach the flounce to the now labeled line.   Interface the CF band and proceed as instructed.    I attached the flounce to the CF line, which was a mistake.  This threw off the collar stand, the collar, and just try easing an extra inch of neck in to that collar stand!  Again, UGH!  Okay, so now you can learn from my mistake.

  Apart from the wonky neck and puckery shoulder line, the rest of the construction went okay.  I did my usual 3-times-and-screw-it when setting in the sleeves (do all BWOF sleeves have this much ease in their patterns?).

The flounce on front turned out nicely, and hopefully, it will cover up all my mistakes:

I finished the edges with the roll-hem function on my serger.  The ruching is a nice and stylish touch:

This is 7 rows of a simple straight stitch.  I used elastic thread that I hand wound in the bobbin.  Here’s a shot of it on me (please excuse the colored undergarments).  It’s a whole lotta look!

Okay, I think I’m going to like this.  If nothing else, it’ll make a great layering piece.  If you make this go with a thin drape-y fabric.  I used a thin cotton/Lycra blend.  Please forgive the Puffy Shirt comment, the Seinfeld re-runs are on here at least twice a day!!

Here they are, my new jeans!

Some butt shots:

I made size U with no alterations.  I’m 5’4”, and I think I only cut 1/2” off at the legs.  I really like the fit through the legs and hips.  The waistband is problematic.  The pattern piece is a straight rectangle, which should  have been a red flag right for me right there.  As made, it gapes open at the back.  Next time, I’ll draft a curved waistband.  Also, I’m not sure that there’s much of a benefit from cutting it out on the bias, as the instructions have you doing.  As they are, these jeans do quite nicely with a belt.  And, they’re very comfortable.  The fabric is stretch denim, which the pattern calls for.  If I make these again, I’ll go down a size.  I think I could get away making up this size in non-stretch denim. 

Some topstitching details for you, nothing fancy, just freehand drawings that I drew on the pocket with erasable pencil.  Garment #3 complete!  I think I’ll break from pants for now and tackle one of my tops.

My version of the Apres Surf Hoodie from Interweave Knits magazine.  I’m knitting it in the round, meaning I’m knitting the front and back together in one tube; once I get to the arm holes, they’ll be separated into the front and back.  Right now, I’m about 8 inches up from the bottom.  This is my first attempt at knitting lace.  It’s not too hard, just lots of yarn-overs and knit-2-togethers.  Also, I finished my Jalie jeans today!  I’m just waiting for my photographer to get home from school, so pictures later!!

I completed the 2nd pair of pants over the Labor Day weekend.  This is Vogue 1059, another alice+olivia pattern (I love all of their patterns).

I used this wonderful plaid wool flannel I bought last year from Gail K’s.  The greatest thing about this fabric is that it has some slight stretch.  These are typical a+o pants with a wide waistband; they also have very wide legs:

These are so comfortable!  I cut out a size 14, which ended up way too big.  I took in each side seam by almost one inch.  I left the crotch curve at a 14.  I really like how these fit! *hmmm, I might try doing this with other pants…I’ll cut a size 14 crotch and a size 10 hip-side seam…..maybe* 

The pattern itself is interesting.  One view has a back zipper, so if you shy away from fly fronts, you can still make these.  There is also an option for side front pockets.  I made mine with back welt pockets and a zip fly:

I really love patterns that include instructions on clean-finishing the fly shield.  I usually forget to do this unless I have a reminder.

I’ve gotten pretty good at making a nice looking zipper fly; the welt pockets, not so much.  I was able to press out most of the puckers, and you don’t notice it when worn (okay, yeah, you  do):

I’ll keep the pockets basted closed until the first wearing.

Other than my crappy welt pockets, these pants are pretty straight-forward.  To cut down on bulk, I stitched the bottom of the belt carriers to the outside of the pants waistband.  The tops were included in the top seam.  Also, I lined the waistband facing with china silk rather than self fabric.  The instructions didn’t include lining the pants, but since these are wool, I lined mine.

I really like these, mistakes and all.  With the different waistband/pocket options, this is a pretty versatile pattern.

If you’re a member of Pattern Review, you’re probably aware of the Wardrobe Contest, and, well, I decided to enter this one.  It’s been approximately one year since I’ve entered a contest, and I’m always happy when I’m done with them, whether or not I win (okay, I’ve never won one).

The challenge is to make 5 tops, 4 bottoms, and a topper;  10 items in all that must all work together.  I’ll be making at least one pair of jeans, since I pretty much live in those.  I really need some more white shirts, so two of the tops will be button-down shirts.  The others will be comfy knits.  I’m not sure about the 5th top, either, but I’ve got time to decide.  Right now, I’ve got one pair finished, and I cut out the jeans today.

And Finally….

I’ve always heard great things about the interfacings from Off the Cuff, so recently, they had a sale and I bought the maximum amount of all the sale interfacings.  They arrived yesterday, woo hoo!  I’m so set on interfacing!

As promised, here’s the jacket portion of the pattern.  Compared to the pants, this really is an easy jacket to make.  It’s a loose-fitting raglan sleeve jacket with a stand-up collar.  The sleeves are 3/4 length with pleats at the shoulders:

The shoulder pleats create a dramatic silhouette:

The jacket was interfaced (with the exception of the sleeves) with a woven fusible and fully lined.

I had a bunch of leftover piping from the pants, so piped the lining to the facing (always a nice touch).

Four bound buttonholes down the front.

I put machine buttonholes on the facing side, and I added one hook-and-eye closure at the neck seam.

I can see myself making these pants again, but probably not the jacket, it’s pretty distinctive.  This would really be a good look for those with narrow or weak shoulders.  Overall, this is simple jacket to make.  There’s no fit to it, no sleeves to set, and no 4-point collar to fool with.  I went down a size from my usual 12 and made up the 10 with still plenty of room.

Just for kicks, here’s what it looks like when worn open:

Sometime last year, possibly as a New Year’s “Resolution”, I mentioned that I wanted to tackle Vogue 1066:

Picture from www.style.com

Well, I’m finally finished!  these are the pants:

I made these out of a charcoal suiting blend from Fabric.com.  It might have had some wool in it, but I think it was mostly poly.  It has a nice drape to it.  It is dark, though, so my camera is not wanting to capture good images:

These are cool pants!  Just look at all the great details!

I found that the pattern is cut really slim; the top of of the pants sit real close to the natural waist.  The pattern describes them as straight-legged pants, but I think the legs have a slight flair to them.

The instructions are super fabulous, with detailed steps on making and clean-finishing the fly front:

The pockets also get the same “vip” treatment, with instructions on finishing the edged with bias binding.  I love pockets that are cut to attach to the fly seam.  This keeps a smooth finish across the front, keeps the pockets from gaping open after your big meal, (hohoho)

On the outside, the pocket edges and waist seam are piped.  I used china silk cut on the bias.  I left off the piping at the waist seam to cut down on bulk.  The instructions also have you piping the tabs, but I didn’t to those either:

For the tabs, I re-fashioned some leather that I had in my stash.  I didn’t put button-holes in them, I just sewed the buttons down over them, so they’re “fixed”.  I dunno, I’ll probably remove those, at least the ones over the pockets.  I don’t like not being able to slide my hands in my pants pockets without fiddling with them!  Anyway….the details continue with rows of topstitching and these interesting belt carriers that are attached to the pants with, you guessed it, more buttons.  All in all, I think there are 8 buttons on these pants!

I eliminated back darts and eased the back into the waistband,  a couture technique that Claire Schaeffer uses in her patterns.  As I said, this pattern was on the slim side for me.  I cut out my usual 12 and had to let out every seam possible to get it to fit!  It’s still fairly snug.  Also, because this fabric was practically see-through, I ended up lining the pants with china silk.  Dangit, my beautifully constructed fly and pocket all enclosed, never to be seen again (LOL)!  I highly recommend this pattern.  The instructions are superb, and I’d be willing to bet that you don’t have anything in your closet like these!!

Here’s a sneak-peak at the entire ensemble!  I’ll post a review of the jacket tomorrow, but you can see why the need for the slim pants-to offset the boxy jacket.   TTFN!

HA! Better late than never!  Here at the end of Summer, I’ve finally made my maxi dress!

Hope you got your ear plugs on ‘cause this is one loud dress, LOL!  This is more stash Jersey from the www.fabric.com warehouse sale (incidentally, it’s coming up again real soon, maybe I’ll go, hmmm).

Line drawing:

This is an easy enough dress to put together.  The bodice is lined with another piece of jersey that is un-shirred.

This is the lining, back with 2 fronts, sewed together at the side seam along with the outer fabric.  I fused the top of the lining piece with bias tape.  I then made the straps:

I constructed the top, and then added the skirt.  No zipper used:

I don’t recommend constructing it the way I did.  I tried to follow the directions in the magazine, and I ended up  hand sewing the facing down on the inside.  Here’s what I would do next time:

Construct the front and lining front separately, including the straps.

Sew the front together to the lining, right sides together, straps included.  Sew along the top edges, turn the corner and sew the straps.  Then sew the inside neck edge.  Trim the corners very carefully, especially the V at the center front.  Do not sew the side and bottom seams.  You might need a tube turner to turn the straps out.

Sew the back and back lining together at the top edge, at the same time attaching the straps on at the back edge at the markings.

Attach the front and back together at the side seams.  The outer fabric and lining is attached in one continuous seam.

Attach the skirt.

I also made a note to raise the front edge to attach about 1-1 1/2 inches higher up on the straps.  For this dress, I shortened the straps by one inch.  This dress is very comfortable to wear, and, as a huge bonus in my book, you can wear a strapless bra!  I’ll make another one of these next Summer, probably in a tamer solid. :)

Pattern Review has a new contest to start in September, and since it’s been a year since I’ve successfully completed one of these, I figure it’s a good time to enter another CONTEST!!!

The rules are to make 4 bottoms, 5 tops, one “topper”, and use a print in there somewhere.  They all have to work together as well.  I don’t know how well mine are going to work together, but I’m not buying any more fabrics, and these will go well with the items in my closet.  The pants options are on the bottom:

Plaid orange cashmere will be Vogue 1059; stretch denim, Jalie 2908; plaid wool either Vogue 1035 or Vogue 8131; and of course, my Vogue 1066 that I’ve had on my list for a while.

The tops will be:   Jalie 2566 in the orange knit and 2 white button-down shirts.  If one is good, two’s better, right?  I haven’t figured out what the brown knit is going to be, and I still have to find a print fabric to work with all of these.  I shouldn’t be too hard to find, since most of these fabrics are fairly muted. 

My topper item will be the cozy Simplicity pattern in a grey knit.  I traced the BWOF and the Jalie patterns today, can’t start cutting until September 1st – rules, you know……

Pattern:  Style Wise from the Winter 2009 issue of Verena Magazine

I used 10 skeins of Noro Iro.  This is an easy pattern for a boxy, loose-fitting coat.  I set the record with this one, knitting this in about 2 1/2 weeks!

The yarn is a wool-silk blend and it’s very warm.

without the belt…

I love it!  This is my first Fall/Winter project.

Well, now I know that to be the case!  I started this sweater this past Tuesday.  By Friday, I finished the back.  I truly cannot put this project down.  Talk about instant gratification!  This chunky yarn and big needles make for quick results:

This is a simple cardigan/coat pattern from the Winter 08/09 issue of Verena.  The pattern is called “Style Wise.”

I start the fronts today, boy I can’t stop!  What is it about this yarn? Probably, it’s the variation of colors, one never gets bored. 

Remember this pattern?

The pattern is Vogue 1066, and I actually got the pants cut out this week.  I said I was going to do this last year, but that didn’t happen.  I have enough fabric for the jacket as well, so I’ll hopefully get this outfit made.  This will be my first Fall ‘09 garment!

I was not prepared to like this as much as I do!  I haven’t even hemmed the bottom yet, but I wore it last night to dinner, he he.  This is the top from BWOF-7-2009-124a, the top (it also makes up into a dress).  The pattern is only 3 pieces:  the front, 2 backs, and 2 ties, plus a neck cord.  I couldn’t really summon the patience to get into the directions, so I winged it.  I’m really happy with the results.  Here are a few things I did:

I sewed the ties up first, and then sewed them into the side seams.  Then I sewed the side seams together and then bound the edges continuously from the back to the neck opening.

For the neck strap, I covered a 1/8” cotton cord with fabric and added pewter beads on each end.

You can finish this in an afternoon!  Here’s the top on me:

I like the coverage, still it’s a bit low in the back.  I kept fiddling with it to keep the back bra strap covered.

So, here’s the funny part.  I got to this point of construction, almost complete, when I went back to look at the magazine picture more closely.  This is when I discovered that this top was meant to have a wrapped back!  As in, I was supposed to keep one side of each back piece free and sew the ties to each piece.  woops!  Oh well, I like what I did better, catching both back pieces into the side seams.  The ties are just decorative at this point.  I think I’ll leave the bottom hem unfinished and be done with it.