A New Top: Simplicity 8752

Simplicity 8752 is an out-of-print pattern that I first saw on a YouTube channel: Vivmom Sews. The pattern is for knits, and my first version, last year, was out of a cotton jersey:

The top is fine, but I decided I wanted to lower the bust apex by an inch and try it in a rayon challlis, which I did:

I took the measurement of the grown-on sleeve and drafted an addition that made it 3/4s--my preferred length. I also drafted a neck facing--the knit version has a neckband, but I didn't want that for the challis.

                                                                                 

Fast forward to this summer. I knew I definitely needed more white tops in my wardrobe. I had made one out of a dotted Swiss/dobby a couple weeks ago, but it is quite sheer, so I have to wear a cami under it. I decided to use the same fabric, but underline with a white cotton batiste just on the front and back bodice pieces. The sleeves and tie would be just the dotted Swiss. 

This whipped up easily, especially since I had already made all the alterations. I made no additional changes.

The fabric is a cotton from Mill End Fabrics in Reno, Nevada. I bought quite a bit of it, because of the aforementioned need for white tops! This top definitely has more body than the challis top I made last summer; if I make it again, I might take the side seams in a half inch.

Like I usually do, I serged the edges (without cutting anything off) before sewing the seams. That way, after I sewed a seam, I only had to press it open for it to have a finished seam.

The facings were sewn out of cotton batsiste, and I interfaced them with a super lightweight fusible, and finished them with the serger.

I hemmed the bodice and sleeves by hand. But other than that, this was a super easy make and it will be very versatile in my wardrobe. Perfect for summer, and it goes with a ton of items in my closet!

The pants are recent makes: yet another pair of Closet Core Pietras. Last year, I had made a pair in candy pink linen, but that pair hasn't held up well, so I've been on the hunt for pink linen. I haven't found exactly what I wanted, but during a recent sale at Stonemountain and Daughter, I found this Lady McElroy Cruise Washed Linen in fuchsia and decided to give it a whirl.

The fuchsia isn't as versatile in my wardrobe as the candy pink, but it goes with more things than I thought it would. For instance, at a meeting earlier this week, I wore these pants with a top I made last summer. The top is New Look 6650, and the fabric is a rayon jersey from Mood:

Next up? I think I'll make a muslin of the Lane Pants by Sydney Graham for my daughter. And, hopefully, a muslin of the Zadie Jumpsuit by Paper Theory for me!

I hope you are doing well and having fun sewing!

Happy sewing ~ Peggy

A Nell Blouse

I've made myself a new top using the Nell dress and top pattern by Tilly and the Buttons. I had gotten this pattern in a Sew Hayley Jane subscription box last year. I showed the pattern to my daughter, thinking she might like me to make it for her. Nope. She said, "Mom, it's soooo 90s," which made me laugh. But then I really thought about it and realized I had a dress just like this (I think it was a McCall's) in the 90s. It was made out of a light yellow linen with bunches of flowers. I wore that dress constantly on our European summer trip as it was perfect in the heat. I no longer have the dress, but if I could find a similar fabric, I could easily duplicate it!

So, I set about making a muslin or two or three, trying to get the fit right, learning in the process that I do not fit in the Tilly and the Buttons block very well: the block is too wide in the shoulders, too small in the bust, too short in the bodice, sleeves, and skirt, too boxy in the bodice, too tight in the biceps, the bust dart is too high, the back is too big, etc. You get the idea. I think I altered every single pattern piece.

Well, this version is by no means perfect--but it is much better than the original muslin! For this top, I used a Waverly cotton  that I saw at Walmart. I think it's pretty. And I do like pink!

The buttons were purchased at Mill End Fabrics in Reno, Nevada--eighty cents for six. 

This was a simple make--once I'd done a multitude of adjustments. Everything was done on my sewing machine and I finished all seams with my serger. I hand sewed the hems and tacked down the bottom of the button placket. And I had a first: I used my machine to sew on the buttons, and it was easy!

If I make another version, and I am might make a dress in rayon, I'll take out some of the volume under my bust and also from the back waist, and probably add a tie. I might add darts at the front and back waist seams. And I'll narrow the shoulders and the back a little more. I'm not sure, though. I might just make a pattern more suited to my figure.

Especially with those future changes needed, this was a just okay make. It'll be handy to have another lightweight woven top in a natural fiber in my wardrobe--perfect for our hot summer. And I will wear it, but it sure has a lot of flaws, and I don't care for it at all. In fact, I'm thinking of repurposing this top into a dress or top for my granddaughter. Oh well, I guess they can't all be winners! I am hopeful that my current project will fit me better.

I hope you are having fun at the sewing machine and enjoying the weather wherever you are!

Happy sewing ~ Peggy

Inspiration to Reality (#1)

A bit ago, a story came up on my Instagram account from Leanne of @thiswiththis. It showed Leanne in a pair of wide legged pants in either navy or black with a large floral print, a white cardigan, and a white top:

I took one look at this outfit and thought it'd be exactly the kind of thing I'd wear. So, I did what any sewist would do. No, I didn't buy new fabric--although I was tempted. Instead I went shopping in my stash. I didn't have anything like the navy or black trouser fabric, but I did have something reminiscent but with a red background and abstract white flowers (although maybe they're butterflies, bows, or windmills!). I thought this fabric would be perfect for my interpretation of the Instagram outfit, so I set to work.

The fabric was purchased at Mood 10-15 years ago! It is an Oscar De La Renta stretch woven, mostly cotton with a little bit of spandex. I'd call it a midweight with some texture. I thought it would be a little too heavy for a dress, but not heavy enough for straight pants, so that's why I hadn't made it up.

For these pants, I used a fairly recent go-to: the wide-legged, cropped Pietra Pants from Closet Core Patterns. These whipped up easily as I had just made them, blogged here. I made these just as before, including hand-sewing the hem.

For the cardigan, I had made the Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan last year, in a textured, white double knit from Mill End Fabrics. Such a versatile piece! I knew this would be perfect for my dupe.

Blackwood Cardigan, Pietra Pants, & Simplicity 8601

So, now all that was left was to make a shell/tank to complete the outfit. Yes, I have white sleeveless tops in my wardrobe, but, frankly, they're getting a little worse for wear. Time to make a new one! For this, I opted for Butterick 6848 which I have made a half dozen times. Here's a photo of me last year, wearing one that I made outof bamboo jersey:

For the sleeveless version, I have drafted a one-piece facing (front and back pieces), which I interfaced. It is applied using the burrito method which creates such a nice, clean finish. I also hem it by hand as I like the hem finish to match the neck/arm finish.

I didn't have any more of the textured, white knit that I had used for the cardigan, but on a recent trip to Mill End, I had seen another bolt. Why didn't I buy it then? Aargh! When I went back at a later date to buy it, the bolt was nowhere to be seen. Oh well. I figured I had some white cotton jersey in my stash, and that would be fine--except when I checked the jersey, it was slightly yellower than the cardigan. And that wouldn't do! But as luck would have it, I needed some buttons for a different project, so I went back to Mill End. While I was there, I took another spin down the white knit aisle. The original textured knit wasn't there, but I found a lightweight solid white ponte with same bright white color. I snapped up two yards, thinking I'd make this current top, and then eventually make a second top from the same pattern.

I like the outfit, but I should've worn my prosthetic (which I have because of my mastectomy) to even out the top over my bust. Oh well! I was comfortable, and wore the outfit to a 4th of July cocktail party. Just pretend the top fits better over my chest, which it does when I'm wearing the right undergarments! The pants are super comfy, and the cardigan goes with sooooo many pieces in my wardrobe.

So, my dupe isn't an exact duplicate, but my outfit was definitely inspired by the Instagram post.  I'm really pleased with it, and if will get plenty of wear!

I'm putting together another inspiration outfit. I recently saw Queen Mary of Denmark in a dress (I think) and jacket combo that I'd like to duplicate for my daughter. I'm just in the planning stages right now.

I hope you are doing well and getting some time to sew.

Happy sewing ~ Peggy