McCall's 7975: The Summer Version

Hello, hello! I'm back today with a new top for Mehetabel.  This McCall's 7975 is a fun pattern; it's easy to make, but looks more complicated because of the twist.

I wanted to make a top that Mehetabel could wear with her new olive green linen blend pants (Simplicity 8841) blogged here. This top is made from a jersey crepe from my stash; luckily, this paisley print has olive and peacock blue--and I just so happen to have a peacock blue Robert Kaufman chambray with which I plan to make another pair of Simplicity 7975 pants.

I find it difficult to hem cap sleeves so I decided to hem them prior to installation.  Speaking of installation, I sewed the sleeves in flat which is my preferred method.

All seams were sewn on my regular sewing machine using a stretch stitch.  All seams were trimmed and finished on the serger.  The hems were coverstitched.

This is my second version of this top.  I first made a long-sleeved version last December, blogged here. Like that top, this one fits well in the shoulders and is a bit baggy through the torso. Mehetabel, though, prefers the loose fit in the bodice.  Also, a looser fit will probably be a little cooler that a tighter version.

This is a distinctive top because of the twist, so I don't know that I'll make many more, but I do recommend it!

Apropos of nothing, here's a photo of my design assistants, Bjorn and CJ, taking the day off work to play in the lake at a local state park.  Happiness!

Simplicity 2599 in Souvenir Fabric

These times of isolation have brought out the need for more diversions--at least in my family. First, Aloysius learned to sew (blogged here), and then Mehetabel wanted to sew a top! And to all this I say: Yay!

Simplicity 2599 top with a Talbots cardigan

Now, Mehetabel has sewn lots of things: curtains, pillow cases, scrunchies, ski bags, and masks. She has even sewn some apparel, including this very 90s outfit of pull-on baggy shorts, lined vest, and matching scrunchie.  Here she is on the 4H catwalk showing off her creation. For this, 9-year-old Mehetabel chose the fabric and patterns, and I answered any questions she had. She doesn't look very happy in this photo, but as I recall, she was quite nervous!

Present day Mehetabel likes to have a variety of shells to wear with her multitude of Talbots cardigans. So, last year, when we took a trip to the UK, she purchased several remnants from Sew Over It with the idea of making them into sleeveless tops. Now that the fabrics have been suitably aged, she asked me if I'd help her make a shell from one of the fabrics. Of course! The selection of which remnant to use included a lengthy phone conversation wherein we compared centimeters to inches. Mehetabel selected a remnant that was about a yard, washed and dried it, and brought it to my studio.

Mehetabel at Sew Over It in London

Meanwhile, I remembered a top from Simplicity that fit her well, and found it in my fairly well-organized pattern cabinet. I've made this top a couple times, and for sleeveless versions, I had already made all-in-one facing patten pieces. The pattern calls for a bias tape finish for the armscyes but after some discussion, Mehetabel decided to use the facing pieces instead (which also would be my preference).

This Simplicity 2599 is still in the wardrobe rotation. I think I made it in 2013.

The fabric, a very lightweight crepe--probably polyester--was super skittery, but Mehetabel persevered. She didn't have enough of the fashion fabric to cut out the facings and the fabric is sheer so the print would've shown through, and although I would've preferred a light beige fabric for the facings, she used what I had: white batiste, which worked fine.

I think (but I could be wrong) this was her first time sewing darts! And, after making so many masks, it was a little difficult for her to adjust to sewing curves, but she did it like a champ!

The back closure is a button and a fabric loop. Mehetabel attached the button by hand. The hem was turned under twice and topstitched on the machine. She also topstitched around the neck and armscyes. The facings, which were cut 1/8" smaller at the neck and arm, were stitched in the ditch at the shoulder and underarm seams.

The pattern is Simplicity 2599 which is out-of-print. One of the things I like about this pattern is that it includes cup sizes. We didn't have enough fabric to sew any of the embellishments, but the plain top is versatile. In fact, I have only sewn plain versions of this top, either sleeveless or with capped sleeves.

Mehetabel worked on this top, size 14 C-cup,  over the course of several days--two(ish) hours per session. All seams were sewn on my Pfaff 3.5 Expression, and she serged each seam allowance on my Babylock Imagine.

This was a straight-forward sewing project, and I think Mehetabel found it to be fairly easy. It really made it easier that she's recently helped sew hundreds of masks for which she used the same sewing machine that she used for this top. She was confident and comfortable using the machine--and that goes a long way toward success. She also made sure to snip all threads and press after every step which keeps projects from falling into the "Happy Hands at Home" or "Becky Home-ecky" categories!

And, for just a couple pounds/dollars, she has a great top and several cardigans to go with it. Huzzah!

Another Outfit: Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan, Jalie Eleonores, & New Look 6150

Hello, hello!  I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy, and keeping your marbles!  I'm so happy to be getting through some of my backlog of sewn pieces.  Today, I want to show you another Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan--actually, this whole outfit uses the same patterns as in this post but from different fabrics. Why re-invent the wheel?

Like my first version, this Blackwood Cardigan is without pockets as I thought the fabric wouldn't support them.  The fabric is a super soft poly/lycra sweater knit from Fabric.com purchased in December 2018 for about $8 per yard.  

Mehetabel is wearing the sweater with a now out-of-print New Look 6150 shell in double knit, blogged here, and another pair of Jalie Eleonore jeans (other colors blogged here and here and here and here and here) in sapphire stretch twill from Michael Levine.

Except for omitting the pockets, I didn't make any changes to the pattern.  Twill tape was sewn to the shoulders for support, all seams were sewn with a stretch stitch on my Pfaff, the seams were trimmed/finished with the serger, and I used my coverstitch to topstitch the front facing.  Very easy, very quick, and I think it looks great on Mehetabel! She could go down a size, but Mehetabel likes it as is.

The Blackwood Cardigan is a great pattern! I foresee making many more of these for both Mehetabel and me. 

TTFN!

Black Lives Matter

RIP George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor
Photo credit: CNN.com

There is so much scary stuff going on in the world right now--like the global pandemic--but there's something else that's been going on for a long, long time, and I'm going to take this moment to share my thoughts.  I have been horrified and disgusted by the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd (among others). I wasn't going to write about this, because I like to have this blog solely for my sewing projects--nothing heavy or political. But, after reading the thoughts of so many black Americans, I decided to put my toe in the water and share my feelings about race in the U.S. 

I am a white woman in my early 60s, and I have lived a life of privilege and often of ignorance. I don't feel like there's much I can say or do to change any situation in this country, but adding my small voice and my vote will add to the many other voices and votes, and hopefully make an impact. This blog post is my announcement that I will not tolerate racism, that I support the black community, and that I will do what I can to be a better and more aware person. I am learning about implicit bias and hope to rid myself of any ingrained reactions that are negative. 

Thank you for reading. I will get back to my regular posting soon.

Simplicity 8841 in Olive Linen Blend: Perfect Hot Weather Wide(ish)-Legged Cropped Pants

I don't know about you, but here in Reno, our weather has gone from near freezing one night to 90  (32C) the next day.  I guess summer weather is here, and for Reno, that usually means 90-100 degree days.

So what better time to sew up some hot weather clothing?  I've wanted to try Simplicity 8841 for a bit, but I wasn't sure if Mehetabel would like the cropped wide-legged look.  I showed her the pattern and she liked it.  She wanted to try the current trend of cropped pants, even though she wasn't sure if she'd like it on her.

I made a muslin out of some old fabric, knowing that it would not be a wearable muslin. I cut out a size 14 but left the length of the size 22--about an additional 1-1/4 inches.  For the muslin, I did not add any length at the hipline even though I was sure it would be needed. 

Sure enough, Mehetabel needed additional length at the high hip, about an inch. I also added an inch to the waistband so that I could use 2" elastic instead of the 1" called for in the instructions. I had purchased a spool of 2" elastic from Wawak, and figured I might as well use some of it.

I made all these changes to the pattern pieces, but as it turned out, the waistband piece wasn't the right size to begin with! That is, when I added an inch to the pattern piece, it only left me with about a 1/4" seam allowance when using the 2' elastic.  And I should've known something wasn't quite right because I didn't have a 5/8" seam allowance when using 1" elastic with the original pattern piece.  Oh well.  I trimmed the elastic to 1-3/4" and used a 3/8" seam allowance.  Next time, I'll add more to the waistband so I can use my Wawak elastic.

For this version, I used Brussels Washer Linen from Robert Kaufman. I purchased this from Fabric.com for $8.22 per yard. The fabric is a linen rayon blend. I pre-washed the fabric on hot three times, drying it after each wash. I'd read somewhere that doing this would help eliminate some of the wrinkling.  True?  I don't know yet, but I thought I'd give it a try. At the very least, I doubt it will shrink any more!

Except for the snafu with the waistband, this went together quickly and easily.  I sewed all seams on my regular sewing machine, trimmed and finished them with the serger, and hand-stitched the hems.  She's wearing a never-blogged top I made for her years ago. It's made from rayon challis and I cannot remember the pattern.  Probably Simplicity or McCall's. It's turned out to be a very versatile top--great for layering under cardigans in cooler weather, but apparently also great on hot almost-summer days.

As for the pants, I'm very pleased with the result and Mehetabel likes them too.  She's getting used to the cropped length. You know, when you're tall like Mehetabel (and moi), a cropped length like this sometimes feels like you've just outgrown your clothes. I understand this! But, when I talked to her later today, she said that the pants were extremely comfortable and thermally cool. They're a great alternative to shorts.  Here's a "real life" shot of her--this was taken about 7 hours after our photo shoot.  The pants aren't too wrinkly! I will shorten the elastic waistband an inch as the pants are drooping a bit.

A doggy waste bag in one hand and a ginger snap in the other; she's ready for anything!

My First Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan

The Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan pattern has been splashed all over the internet, and I've been tempted by it for awhile.  But you see, I have a love/hate relationship with PDF patterns.  I love that I can get them immediately, but I hate taping them together.  Storing them is also problematic. So, for my challenge, I put this one together and selected a sweater knit from my stash that I wasn't wild about but would do for a (hopefully) wearable muslin.  

My Meet Cora app tells me I bought three yards of this 64"-wide poly/lycra variegated sweater knit from FabricMartFabrics.com on February 19, 2017.  It was $9.99 per yard.

When I received the knit, I wasn't wild about the color in real life, but I knew I could use it for something.  This initial Blackwood Cardigan was a great choice!  I didn't think the weight of this knit would support the pockets, so I left them off.  Everything else went together smoothly. 

I used a stretch stitch on my sewing machine for all seams, and trimmed/finished them with the serger.  The front facing was finished with the coverstitch.

The shoulders were reinforced with twill tape.

I made this pattern as-is (except for eliminating the pockets).  For future versions, I would consider taking a couple inches off the sleeve length except Mehetabel likes it, and I might eliminate the bottom band and just hem it on my coverstitch.  Comparing the pattern piece to the front of the finished cardigan, it appears the fabric has grown at least an inch.  Drrrrr.  Do you have any suggestions for dealing with growing fabric?  If so, please share!

Today, Mehetabel has paired the (unintentionally extra-long!) cardigan with a New Look 6150 shell in white double knit (blogged here) and Jalie Éléonore jeans (different colors blogged here) in cabernet stretch twill  from Michael Levine; the stretch twill  appears to be only available in hot pink now.  

With a little tweaking, I think the Blackwood cardigan will become a staple in my stable of patterns.

Style Arc Barb Stretch Pants for the Win, Win, Win!

I've probably made about a dozen Jalie Eleonore pull-on jeans for my daughter, Mehetabel, but not too many other pants, and it was past time to remedy that!  Thanks to sales at various fabric stores, I've purchased a number of patterns in different styles: classic tailored trousers, slim side-zipped pants, elastic-waist pants, zippered wide-leg pants-- well, you get the idea.  Then I saw Style Arc's Barb Stretch Pant and thought I'd give that a try even though it meant taping together a PDF pattern (the things I do for my loved ones. Heh).  Although, if I'm going to deal with a PDF pattern, this was a great one because I was able to print just the size I wanted and it didn't have too many pieces.

All this took place in the happy-go-lucky pre-COVID 19 times when one could lark about with other people. Sniff. I was so busy socializing, I just didn't get around to taking pictures or publishing this post until now. But no more socializing for me. Not anymore! I'm staying home; it has been thus for many a week (I'm having a hard time remembering how long it's been!). I only see the members of my quaranteam (Mehetabel, Aloysius, and Carmelita).  Maybe someday that'll change. She said wistfully. 

Oh, enough of that! Back to sewing. I love that the Barb pattern makes a slim but not skinny leg--very work-appropriate for Mehetabel teaching university classes. I compared the crotch and leg of the Eleonore with the Barb and added 1/2" in length above the hips, and another 1-1/2" in length to the legs of the size 12.

I like the refined ponte from Joann, and I've used it to make myself many pants (unblogged).  I have quite a few colors in my fabric closet (who am I kidding?!--like I have just one fabric closet!), and I decided to try one of them with the Barb pattern.  Just a note: I will make Mehetabel some woven, zippered pants, but I thought I'd start with something that--if it's the right size--will be comfortable as well as appropriate for her professional life.  Also, Mehetabel, like me, is into comfortable clothing. Knit and elastic forever!

I had a scant 1-1/2 yard piece of navy ponte from my stash of refined ponte knits which was perfect for what I hoped would be a wearable muslin.

I had a number of problems with construction, but none due to the fabric or pattern!  I was going to use my Pfaff 3.5 to sew the pants but I needed to change the needle to a stretch needle.  I couldn't get the old needle out!  I don't think that's ever happened to me before.  Gah!  I finally found my hemostats and was able to dislodge the stubborn needle.  But, before I was able to fix the needle, I decided to use my Babylock machine instead.  I tested the stretch stitch on a swatch of my fashion fabric and kept getting haystacks on the bottom.  Gah, again!  I fussed with the machine, rethreaded everything, turned it on and off, used a different bobbin, changed the tension, and it remained the same.  The machine was fine with a straight stitch, but I didn't want that!  So, off I went to hunt for my hemostats.  Those hemostats saved the day, because they allowed me to really grip the Pfaff's stuck needle.  This process took hours.  Hours!  And the Babylock was sent to time-out.

Today's project will be to fuss more with the Babylock.  If I were a cursing woman... Oh, wait. I'm afraid I am.

So, eventually, I stitched the pants on the Pfaff, trimmed and finished all seams on the serger (which was very well-behaved, thank you very much).  I pressed up the suggested hem, but didn't finish it as the pants were awaiting their person for a try-on.

Anywho, Mehetabel stopped by a neighborhood crafting meeting I was attending (more socializing!) to try on the pants and determine the hem length. They fit very well! After that, it took no time to hand-stitch the hems.

Mehetabel really likes the pants and says they're super comfortable.  Huzzah!  I quickly made a second pair in gray, and now I'd like to try the pattern out on a stretch woven.  Even though these have an elasticized waistband, they look suitable for the classroom or office (although, for the last 10 -1/2 weeks, she's been teaching via the internet and Zoom-like calls where only her top half is seen).  I think I'll make a pair for myself.  Win, win, win!

This pattern qualifies for my personal challenges: My Pattern Challenge and Conference Capsule. In these photos, Mehetabel is wearing her New Look 6150 shell (blogged here) along with a ready-to-wear cardigan.