Conference Capsule: A Dress with a Difference!

Well, I'm back. I thought I would be back sooner, but life.  It's all good. Wonderful, in fact. In my last post, I'd written about sewing some outfits for my daughter to wear on hot fall days and nights. My daughter read that post, and she mentioned that I might need to re-think the whole concept. Hmmm. I'll wait a bit before I tell you why. You'll probably guess.

She did need some new clothes for a conference she was attending in Idaho. The other dresses I made were no longer comfortable, so I set out to make something appropriate for her.

I thought about a lot of different options, like the Tilly and the Buttons Indigo Dress, the Love Notions Pemberley Dress, and the Pattern Emporium Every Day's a Weekend Dress. But then I decided just to use the same bodice mash-up I'd used before, blogged here and here. But this time, I cut 3 inches off the length of the bodice. Instead of the flared skirt with a fitted waist I'd used before, I made two rectangles at 26" x 35" for the skirt, and I made smaller and shorter bodice ties.

The bodice was underlined with a mystery knit lining. I added stay tape to the shoulders and a stretch stitch on the seams which were then finished with the serger. The hems were done on the coverstitch machine. I added facings to the neckline to finish it, and they were hand sewn to the underlining.

Here's the finished garment--and it's a success! So after whipping up this first version out of this "Famous Dress Designer" polka dot ITY fabric from Fabricmart Fabrics, I wanted to make another one out of a pretty floral border print ITY from fabric.com. But I ran out of time!

So, do you know why she nixed my earlier wardrobe plans? That's right. She's expecting a baby boy in the spring! She's in her second trimester now. She's got her energy back and is thriving. I am so happy for her and Aloysius. They'll be wonderful parents!

Now you know why the plans have changed. Drastically. I have some maternity patterns in my stash, including ones I used in the 80s. However, I was heavily pregnant in the very hot summer, and her biggest times will be in the snowy winter and early spring. Also, the patterns I used were big and billowy--as things were at the time. Shoulder pads? No problem! Want to dress like a pregnant Princess Di? Sure! But those patterns just don't cut it for the here and now. And I knew Mehetabel wouldn't need a full-term maternity dress for the conference because while her other dresses were too snug in the tummy, she wasn't ready for a big waistline or dipping front hem. This change to the previous conference pattern worked just fine for her then 4 month belly.

Here she is in situ at the conference about a month ago:

That's it for now. Thank you for reading and thank you for your kind words on my last post. I really do hope to be back on the blog soon! Take care ~ Peggy

The Work from Home Module Sew Along: Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan

As you probably know, I'm working on a work from home module for my daughter, Mehetabel. The idea springs from a challenge that Whitney, of Tomkat Stitchery (on Instagram @tomkatstitcherycarmel), is hosting: making/thrifting/buying three tops, 2 coordinating bottoms, and 1 coordinating topper to make a lot of different outfits--specifically for working from home. I have made three knit tops with navy in them, blogged here, here, and here, and today I'm showing you my latest Helen's Closet Blackwood Cardigan also in navy.

I have made the Blackwood Cardigan twice before, here and here, and I'm sure I'll make it more times as well. It's slouchy and stylish, and also very easy to construct. What's not to love? So when it came time to figure out what topper to make for this module, I thought this cardigan would be perfect.

Construction was done on my sewing machine using a stretch stitch; I trimmed all seams on my serger which made for a nice, neat finish. The shoulders were reinforced with fusible interfacing.

I bought the navy sweater knit a year ago from Fabric.com. It is Telio Cara Polyester, and it is soft and cozy--perfect for working from home--but it'll also work well once we can go out again. 2 yards is more than enough for me to make this cardigan, but I think I might have been shorted this time because I had to get very creative to fit all the pattern pieces on my piece of fabric.

In these photos, Mehetabel is wearing the sweater with a New Look 6150 shell made in double knit, blogged here. Her jeans are Levi's, although she's already told me she'll be wearing Lululemon yoga pants (and slippers) when working from home! This cardigan, in particular, will be a very versatile piece in her wardrobe.

Well, that's about it! Tomorrow or the next day, I'll show all the pieces together,

Take care and happy sewing!

The Work From Home Module Sew Along: Jalie Scarf-Collar Top

Hello, hello! For my second top in Mehetabel's work from home module (first explained here), I made Jalie's Scarf-Collar Top. I've made this top once before, and it looked good but the fabric didn't have enough stretch, so it was quite uncomfortable. This time, I made sure to use a fabric with plenty of stretch, and this rayon/lycra jersey from Stylemaker Fabrics worked wonderfully. It is super soft and stretchy, and the colors work well with the module I've planned. Here's my first version:

This top is deceptively easy. The tie is the most difficult part, but it really isn't too hard. However, when I got to the point where I needed to pin the collar to the bodice, the instructions from my PDF conflicted with the Jalie-made video for this top! I re-pinned the collar three times, finally going with the video's instructions because I could see that they worked.

The photo above shows an ugly and confusing step. At this point, I was pulling the front and back bodice pieces through the snake-like collar piece. I still don't really understand the process, but just follow the directions and it'll work out happily ever after.

The majority of seams were sewn with a stretch stitch on my sewing machine. The only exception was the collar piece which I sewed with a straight stitch. All seams were finished on the serger, and the hems were done on the coverstitch. Oh, I almost forgot--the shoulders were reinforced with fusible interfacing.

Neither Mehetabel nor I could tie a decent bow--not the pattern's fault--so we opted for a single knot with the ties hanging. And she's wearing sunglasses throughout this post, because even though there's a hint of fall in the air (yay!), it's a bright, sunshiney day.

Mehetabel is wearing Levi's in these photos as they're one of her bottoms for the work at home module.

Next up, the final top for the module: Love Notions Classic Tee. See you soon!

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!

Basic T with a Twist: McCall's 7975

Yesterday, I wanted to make something.  I had the itch to stitch.  The urge to serge.  The--I don't have a rhyme for cover stitch!  Well, you get the idea.  I wanted to make something!

And I did!  Keeping in mind my pattern challenge, I selected McCall's 7975 for my next project.

For the fabric, I used the softest rayon lycra brushed jersey from Fabric Mart.  This fabric drapes beautifully, and I also love paisley. It was purchased a year ago for $11.99 per yard. I have almost three yards left, so I need to figure out what to make with it. 

Before I started, I was a little apprehensive about the twist.  But like so many things, once I started it it wasn't so bad.  In fact, it all came together pretty quickly.

This is a basic T-shirt with a twist (see what I did there?).  I like that the twist creates an asymmetrical hemline and a similar look to the currently popular front tuck or French tuck.  I also think the hemline is flattering because it isn't a straight line across the hips.

The shirt fits Mehetabel well in the shoulders and arms, but it's a little boxy in the bodice; however, she told me she prefers it a little roomy so I'll leave it as is.  When I make this again, I'll lengthen the sleeves slightly (or make them 3/4 length) and I'll definitely add a little length to the top because the highest point of the hemline can expose some skin.

This top was a quick project--finished in just a few hours.

I used my Pfaff's stretch stitch for all seams, and finished them on the serger. The hems were cover stitched. I reinforced the shoulder seams with fusible interfacing.  I also put the sleeves in flat, so that changed up the order of operations. 

I don't know if I'll have a chance to post again before Christmas, so I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all happy holidays!

Another Conference Capsule Selection: McCall's 7160 & New Look 6301

Well, the first dress I made for Mehetabel's conference capsule was a success, so I immediately duplicated it.  It is a mash-up of New Look 6301 (skirt and ties) with 10" added to the length of each, coupled with the bodice from McCall's 7160 (out-of-print).  

Like the last dress, blogged here, I modified the bodice significantly by eliminating the center front seam, drawing a new neckline, and adding a facing.

Also like before, the bodice was underlined with beige knit.  The hope is that this, along with the waist seam clear elastic, will provide the necessary support for the rather heavy skirt.

With the last dress, I sewed everything together but didn't serge the waist seam.  Then I attached the clear elastic to the seam line and serged it.

For this dress, I sewed everything except the side seams, and again, I didn't serge the waist until I'd added the clear elastic to the seam allowance.  After that I serged both side seams.

In my last post, I told you how I tried a Palmer & Pletsch method for attaching fusible interfacing. For this one, I went back to my usual routine--I block-fused the interfacing to a piece of fabric, cut out the facing pieces, and serged the bottom to finish it. Once the facing was attached to the neckline, I hand-stitched it to the underlining.

The fabric is from Fashion Fabrics Club.  It is a poly/lycra jersey and cost $4.46 per yard.  They describe it as a teal cheetah jersey.  But honestly, I couldn't tell what the print was supposed to be--maybe an abstract animal- or floral-print!

What's next?  I'm working on some slacks--still in the muslin stage--and also on a floaty faille blouse.  When will they be done?  Hmmmm....

Conference Capsule: McCall's 7160 & New Look 6301 Mash-up

You can probably guess that my daughter, the not-her-real-name Mehetabel, and I have a wonderful relationship.  I am so lucky!  And I love to make clothes for her because A) I can, B) she's so appreciative, and C) she's a terrific model!  There are other reasons, like, I love her, but these three will do for now.  Often, I just make whatever I feel like sewing, but occasionally she'll make a request.  This project was chosen by Mehetabel.

I'm calling this her Conference Capsule.  And this is just the first piece, because one dress does not a capsule make!

Mehetabel is a Ph.D student who has published papers and often presents the subjects at conferences.  I am very proud.  Well, last year, Mehetabel took a couple Mom-made dresses with her to a conference.  One was McCall's 6886 in hunter green jersey which I lined--I haven't blogged this version but I used the same process for this one.  Here's a closet selfie of the version she took to the conference:

When she wore this dress for a presentation, she realized she'd be more comfortable in a longer, fuller skirt.  If she needed to sit down, she felt this dress could show a bit too much leg.

So, she knew what she wanted:  a fitted bodice with a modest neckline, 3/4 length sleeves, and a skirt that wasn't too fitted and was long enough to cover her knees when she sat.  With further discussion, she decided she'd like an attached belt.  She wanted some pattern to the fabric--just in case her nerves caused her to perspire while on the dais, the pattern would help camouflage the evidence. Also, she wanted fabrics that would coordinate with her black shoes and bag.

Mehetabel loves color and pattern (me too!), but for her conference dresses, she wanted something more subdued--nothing that would be too jarring or take the focus from her topic.  

Oh!  I almost forgot!  She also wanted an easy-travel fabric like ITY (Interlock Twist Yarn) knit.  Just roll up the dress, stuff it in her carry-on, shake it out and hang it up at the hotel.  Hey presto!

With that in mind, I started searching for ITY knits that had some pattern, but not too much pattern, and in colors that wouldn't be wild.

I have several ITY knits in my stash that fit the bill, so I selected four of them, took a photo, texted it, and asked if any of them would do.  She chose her top two favorites, and off I went!

For the first two dresses, Mehetabel chose the top left and the bottom right

There was a bit of trial and error, but finally the winning pattern(s) emerged.  I used the skirt pieces from New Look 6301, first blogged here, to which I had already added ten inches in length, plus the belt piece--also with ten inches added to the length.  For the bodice, I used McCall's 7160, to which I eliminated the center seam, changed the neckline, and made facings.  Unfortunately, McCall's 7160 is out-of-print, but it does qualify for my pattern challenge!

The bodice pieces were underlined in beige knit.  The facing pieces were interfaced with Fashion Sewing Supply's pro-tricot deluxe fusible interfacing.

I tried something new with knit facings this time--although I've done something similar with wovens before.  I usually block-interface a piece of fabric and cut the facing pieces from that, and serge the bottom to finish.  This time, I sewed the interfacing to the facing at the bottom, trimmed, and flipped the facings so that the wrong sides were together, and them pressed them to fuse the interfacing. I think I first read about this approach in a Palmer & Pletsch pattern. This creates a nice, professional-looking product. After attaching the facing to the neckline, I finished the facing by hand-sewing it to the underlining.  I don't know if I'll do this method again, but it's always nice to have another trick up my sleeve.

The fabric for this dress was purchased from Fashion Fabrics Club, and I paid $4.46 per yard.

The shoulders were reinforced with fusible interfacing.  All seams were sewn with a stretch stitch and finished on the serger.  I used the coverstitch to hem the skirt and sleeves.

Coverstitched hem!

The skirt is pretty heavy, so in addition to the underlined bodice to add support, I also sewed clear elastic into the seam allowance at the waist before I trimmed/finished it with the serger.  Hopefully this will be enough to support the skirt.

So long, farewell...