Prototyping

I've been testing out a few blouse patterns. I haven't sewn many blouses. My friend Flo once remarked that blouses are sometimes more work than dresses and only half of you is covered at the end. Nevertheless, I don't like the way RTW blouses fit. Or rather, don't fit. They are usually too tight in the biceps and too tight across the back so here starts my testing.

First up, Maria Denmark's Edith. The simplicity appealed to my tired brain.

Edith blouse, sans collar.

 I made the first one to test the fit and left off the collar. The fit is a little snug across the back so I added about 3/4" to the next one (currently under construction) . I also lowered the front darts slightly tho' you can't tell they are high here due to the busy print.

The arm holes are touch tight so I added a quick-and-dirty (pronounced 'lazy' vent and lowered them in the next version.

In this photo I missed the neckline but the shirt was in the washer when I realized.

 The back neckline was a little high and pressed uncomfortable against the back of my neck.

Back neck.

 Adding the 3/4" may help that for the next one but I scooped out a bit to make this one wearable.

Gape prevention.

 I interfaced the facings but that made the front a little stiff, so I added a 'secret' button to keep things together. I picked this trick up from Jane (an "of course!" moment) so I have now totally justified my blog reading.
Wow! Now that I've written this it all down, that 'simple' blouse was a bit more complicated than I first thougth.

Cropped Renfrew.

 I've made the Sewaholic Renfrew many times. This time I cut if off just below the waist, raised the neckline, and widened the bottom band. I didn't pull the neckband tight enough so it has a bit of a ripple and the fit is a little tighter than I prefer, but it is a good experiment.

Oakridge

 I am mostly happy with the fit of the Oakridge tho' I'm wondering if I should have gone one size smaller. It is a little bit wide in the shoulders.

Facing sticking out on the left side. I should be more careful when getting dressed.

 I added facings as I have not had good luck with bias tape. This is somewhat full in the back. Maybe I'll take the 3/4 inch I added to the Edith out of the back of this one.

 It also might look different out of a drapier fabric. This cotton is a bit stiff and may soften up after it is washed a few times.

The print is of skeleton keys and the buttons were in my stash. I think I got them from an estate sale a few years ago.

Belcarra

 Sewaholic Belcarra I made last year as summer's last gasp. I like it a lot and will make more. Like the Oakridge I'm going to take about 3/4" out of the back as it gapes a bit.

And a gratuitious shot of my tomatoes which were newly planted last time I posted. The whole garden is growing like mad, in spite of the gloomy weather we've been having. The huge rain we had last night, almost an inch, will definitely keep things growing.

A Collared Oakridge

Tho' she has absolutely no recollection of this, the Geek found this blouse at a thrift store a few years ago. We both liked the fabric and the pattern,

This is the pattern, not the much more interesting way the camera make it appear in the other photos.

but not the boxy shape.

No fashion blogger would wear this blouse with those trousers.

This picture was taken after I removed the darts.

I tried adding dart to the front and back, that made it fit better in the waist but didn't address the poor fit under the arms.

The shirt was placed in the 'ponder' file for several months.

Tasia then released the Oakridge pattern. It's nice having someone who designs for the pear-shaped among us.

I traced out my size placed, found the blouse, opened up the side seams, and placed the pattern pieces over the existing front and back. After cutting the blouse to the new shape, I resewed the side seams. I didn't change the hem or the collar.

I didn't move the dart, which may explain the drag lines toward my waist even tho' the fit under my arms is better.

 But when you add a sweater, you can't see the imperfections.

 Now I'll see how it fits when I start with a fresh piece of fabric rather than an existing shirt.

OWOP; Sewaholic Hollyburn

 One Week, One Pattern. My choice; Sewaholic Hollyburn.

Saturday, September 6; View A- Lady Adler.

Sunday, Semptember 7; View B -Birthday Hollyburn

 Monday, September 8; View C -Ikea Hollyburn

Tuesday, September 9; View B - brown corduroy. It's chilly out but I refuse to wear tights (it's still early September dammit,) so I'll wear leggings instead.

Wednesday, September 10; Ikea Hollyburn and tights. I wouldn't care so much about the *^&^%&^ tights except there is a frost warning for tonight and too many farmers have crops that haven't finished ripening yet, much less been harvested.

Thursday, September 11; Lady Adler - and it didn't freeze last night. Hooray!

 Friday September 12; View C- denim Hollyburn. It's Friday and I'm off to visit my parents after work. I love being at the farm.

 This skirt is quick to make and easy to fit. I may have mentioned this before so that no doubt explains why I have so many (plus the Owls version I didn't wear this week).

How did everyone else make out?

Birthday Hollyburns

My office partner and I share a birthday. Being of a like mind, we decided to see if people noticed if we dressed as twins. But we couldn't be too obvious. 

So one lunch hour we scooted to Northwest Fabrics and found similar fabrics and I made Hollyburns for us both. 

Monster Thurlows

My denim Thurlow shorts were coming along well. This was the last project I had to sew of the big batch I'd cut out in June. I was going to test the fit of the Renfrew with these shorts and wanted to finish them so I could change the thread on the serger.
I managed to find a 4" zipper (I picked up five or six at the MCC last time I was there) and even tho' it was green, I liked it. I fluffed the zipper facing, having cut out the piece the wrong way, but I simply cut out a piece of the lining fabric and attached it to the first one. No problem.

I forgot to take a picture of the zipper facing before the waistband was attached.

 I sewed the side seams and finished the hem but when I pressed them, something melted on my iron. 

 

 

 

 

 I bought the denim at Fabricland a few years ago. It was labelled as cotton with a small percentage of lycra but I haven't liked how the denim Hollyburn I also made from this fabric is after a few washings. It seems to have developed some pilling,  something I have never had happen with denim before. That, and this incident with the iron, makes me wonder what about the true fibre content.
 
Then it came to putting on the waistband. The first time I tried, neither side fit. I made certain I had the cut them out the right way after having screwed up the zipper facing, so I was confused. I didn't have enough fabric to cut out another set of each, and I was saving my last bit of Vikings for something else. I decided I would just put them on with the lining facing out -you know, add visual interest with the sea monsters dancing around my waist and all that. But they didn't fit that way either. There was some...language... while I wondered if Loki was taking an inappropriate amount of interest in my sewing room.

Which one of you is Loki?

 The third time I pinned the waistband, denim side out, it fit -almost.

By this point I was losing patience so I serged off the excess and called it good enough.

 When it was time to fit the waist. I pinned the front and pulled in the back, then machine basted it in place. 

That seems kind of much.

I couldn't see the back very well, so I went to consult The Geek. (Side Note: I cut these out in June according to my measurements but I have lost quite a bit of weight since my surgery; a lot of it is muscle mass. I had no idea, however, that my quadriceps, hamstrings, hip flexors, and gluteals had atrophied so much. In other words, I've lost my bum.)

Once The Geek stopped laughing about my droopy drawers, she pulled the waist in a little more and we decided I should take in the lower back seam a bit.

 So I did. I think that is another 1.5 centimeters, tho' I can't remember for certain.

 These aren't sitting on my hips properly, but the front isn't too bad (I'm still pretty much the same size there, other than some...um...remodelling of the topography of my lower belly which doesn't affect my fitting).

The back is better but still less than optimal.

The side seam is no longer vertical and the waistband stands away from my body too much.

Conclusion: I pulled out the second row of machine basting and have put the shorts away for now.It is almost too cool for shorts anyway; I will revisit them in the spring. Hopefully by then my @$$ will have decided what it is going to do with itself.

I am undecided if I will try to make any trousers this winter unless I can find a really easy pattern. I do not feel like going thru' the hassle of fitting if this condition is only temporary. If it is, I will definitely use the Thurlow pattern, with a few modifications (I will make a mock fly instead of the fly extension/fly facing combination - I find them rather bulky) and cut them a few sizes smaller in the back, a backside version of an FBA.

I hate it when I spend time on something and don't have a finished garment at the end, or even learn anything useful. (~sigh~)

Scheming and Planning

Now that I am rid of the triad of evil, I am making plans for the remainder of my leave. And while I can't row, cycle, kayak, play soccer, do pilates, drive, lift more than 10 pounds, or do any of the other things that fritter away my time, I can sit. And in the shade I shall sit while I take apart a few items I have found in thrift stores.

First up, this cool wool* skirt. It is a lovely, incredibly full, skirt, very royal blue and, judging by the tag, from the late '80s or early '90s It is destined to to become another Hollyburn with perhaps enough left over to trim something else.

The second skirt is a linen/ rayon blend. Allegedly dry-clean only, but since I don't own anything I can't wash, I pre-washed it. You can tell how much shrinkage occurred by the amount of lining hanging clear of the bottom.

The colours did not photograph very well; it is brown and green striped - very autumnal. I'll try to better shot after it has been remade. I'm hoping to get another Vogue 1247 out of the yardage.

I have no firm ideas about the fate of this skirt. I think it is a wool/rayon blend but the tag has gone missing. Maybe it dissolved in the pre-wash. I would like to get a top of some sort but I'll see how it looks when I drape it around myself, post dissection. It may end up looking too dowdy for a blouse.

It's nice to be able to spend time in the yard keeping busy. I'm pretty twitchy and while I'm fortunate to have a long leave to recover, sitting around this past week has been pretty restricting. It will be good to feel productive again.

*That's the name of the fabric, not how I feel about it.

Hooray for Hollyburn

I now have three Hollyburn skirts, my latest out of denim.

I look unimpressed. Why?

 I love the fullness of these skirts -they are definitely bike-able. I made the waistbands on these two skirts about an inch narrower. I am very short waisted and the wider waistband would fold over when it made contact with my lower ribcage.

 The pockets are lined with the same fabric I used to line N4's cape. So many of my skirts have pockets now. I think the only reason my previous skirts did not is my need to hurry and adding pockets would add, what, another 15 minutes to the process. I guess I have learned to slow down.

 The second Hollyburn is made from this owl upholstery fabric. It has great body as well.

 I screwed up the waistband -I should have cut it with the grain, but I was worried it would stretch. Silly me.

 I did better with the pocket facings tho'.

 Especially this one.

I have plans for at least one more of these made from a thrifted lightweight wool skirt. But that can wait for cooler weather.