I've Got Sunshine: Simplicity 8601

This was a quick top to whip up, and since we still have plenty of sunshine (and high temperatures), I figured it'd get some wear before it's time to bring out the sweaters.  Unfortunately, this version is...meh.

The top is Simplicity 8601.  I've had the pattern since it came out because I think it's not only adorable, but it seems to be on trend too.  And, yes, it's another entry for my pattern challenge.

I made three changes to the pattern--I made it sleeveless, lined it, and lengthened it by 2 inches. Many of the reviews I've read note that the top is quite short, and since Mehetabel is 6 ft. tall, I knew some added length would be needed.  Plus, I figured she wouldn't want to expose her stomach at school.

Need to go down a size!

The top is made out of cotton gauze from Michael Levine.  It's pretty thin, so I thought lining it would be smart--and--bonus! the lining made it easier to finish the ties.  I used the same fabric for the lining.

Match-matchy:  pins to fabric!

I might call this piece the burrito top as I used that method several times.  First I sewed the front center seam, the back center seam, and attached a button loop.  Then I sewed the shoulders and sewed the lining to the fashion fabric at the neckline.  Of course, I trimmed and pressed after each step.  After that, I sewed one armscye burrito-style, and then the other.  Next, I burritoed (it's also a verb!) the hems on the front and then the back.  Finally, I sewed up the side seams as one piece, finishing them with the serger.  All that was left was to sew the button on the back.

If you are unfamiliar with the burrito method, do a search on the internet and you'll get quite a few posts/videos about it that will explain the process more clearly than I could.  I first learned about it when I made the Jalie Scarf-CollarTop in 2012, and I also learned about it in a book I have about linings, but it was called the author's "favorite method...," and I found the explanation a bit confusing.

Jalie Scarf-Collar Top made in 2012 and where I first learned about the burrito method

All in all, this was a fun and easy item to sew, but my fabric choice and the sizing were off.  I'm glad I added the length, but if I make this again, I'll go down a size.  Also, while I like the clean finish the lining provides, the four layers of fabric make the ties too bulky.  Oh well.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Always a good time at Mom's!

Mehetabel is wearing the top with her Jalie Éléonore Pull-On Jeans out of white stretch twill from Vogue Fabrics.  I blogged about these jeans here.

She's also wearing a pair of my shoes--we have the same size feet--I bought these at Talbots last year, I think.  I just love these shoes.  So cute!  And since we live in the desert, why not have cacti on one's tootsies?

My Pattern Challenge, Organization, McCall's 6793 & Other Stuff

I'd mentioned in this post that I'd recently organized my vast pattern collection by creating a database in Google Docs and then sorting the patterns in numerical order by pattern company. The idea is that I can peruse the database (which I've also printed), select a pattern, and then find it in one of the drawers of my awesome cutting table created by Aloysius and Mehetabel (my son-in-law and daughter).  During the process of organizing my patterns, I realized I had a lot that I'd never used, so I'm giving myself a challenge to use at least one never-used-by-me pattern per month. Granted, that's only 12 patterns per year, but hey!  It's better than letting them languish in a dresser.  And maybe I'll do more than one per month!

Top left: 1 of the Simplicity drawers          Top right: Some of the categories

Bottom:  a selection from the outerwear portion of my binder; the pages are enclosed in clear sheet protectors

I'm starting this challenge a bit late--September!--because 2019 has had its challenges.  My mother moved into my house after Thanksgiving 2018 because she became very ill--too ill to live on her own.   She had several hospital stays and one operation between November and February.  After her last hospital stay, she opted for hospice care so she was able to come back to my house.  She passed away mid-February with Mehetabel and I at her bedside.  She lived a good, long life:  90 years.  She was also very creative and an excellent seamstress.  Mom made the majority of my dresses when I was a child, and in her 60s, she studied costume design and millinery, and employed her talents as a volunteer with a local community college theater program.

My mother in 1930 

Other things happened in 2019: Mehetabel and I took a trip to England and Scotland which was so much fun! But when I got back in early June, my house had a plumbing leak, and since the foundation is a slab, the whole house needed to be re-piped.  This was an expensive, lengthy, and messy process, but it is so nice to have running water again!  I don't think I'd have made a good pioneer.  Part of the re-piping process involved jackhammering the foundation so that new pipes could get to the kitchen island, so new flooring was also needed.  

Bjorn's not sure about this

That brings us to September!  As I write this, I'm wearing earplugs and sitting in my studio.  The flooring guys are tearing up my floors not with jackhammers, but something almost as noisy, and they're blast 1970s heavy metal music.  The hardwoods were original to the house and they were apparently glued in place.  They're not coming up without a fight.  But I am so looking forward to new floors.  I've decided to go with luxury vinyl plank instead of hardwood.  I've had LVP in a house before; it is waterproof and low maintenance.  It holds up well to skittering German Shepherds, snow, and furniture moving.

So back to sewing: In my studio, my cutting table sits on top of four Ikea Brimes dressers that are bolted together.  Each drawer can hold four rows of standard envelope/Big 4 patterns.  With my new system, it is relatively easy to find the pattern I'm looking for by selecting it in the database, getting the company and number, and finding it in the corresponding drawer.

I have a tendency to use patterns multiple times.  I guess it's because I've already tweaked the fit, I like the finished products, and why re-invent the wheel.  But now it's time to push some boundaries (gently, gently).

For my first pattern in this challenge, I made McCall's 6793 which is now out-of-print but still available on Etsy, Amazon, and eBay.  I made View B but sleeveless, using a polyester shirting from Fashion Fabrics Club.  I chose this fabric because I loved the vibrant floral print.  Also, I thought it would be a good back-to-school top for Mehetabel; she has several Talbot's "Charming" cardigans that coordinate with the fabric.  It's way too hot right now in our neck of the woods for more traditional fall clothing. 

Another organizational boon has been the Meet Cora app which I have on my iPhone.  It's been a great resource for keeping track of my fabric stash.  With it, I have fabric info at the ready:  length, content, price, where it was purchased, date of purchase, etc.  So, Cora tells me (among other things) I bought three yards of this 58"-wide polyester shirting and I paid $4.46 per yard. Of course, Meet Cora is only effective if one actually enters the information!  

This top was started on the first day the flooring guys were here, and mostly finished on the second day--except for hand-stitching.  I didn't make any adjustments to the pattern, and sewed the medium (12-14). I used my Pfaff to stitch all seams, and trimmed/finished them with the serger.  I hand-sewed the hem, armscye bindings, and the inside collar.

Mehetabel is wearing the top with another pair of mom-made Jalie Éléonore jeans (different colors blogged here).  The red stretch denim is from Sew Much Fabric.  Like the other pairs of Jalie jeans that I've made, all topstitching was done on my coverstitch, seams were sewn with a stretch stitch on my sewing machine, and all seams were trimmed and finished with the serger.

Now it's time for me to head back to the studio for some more organization.  That notions' dresser isn't going to sort itself!

Notes to self:  Pfaff 3.5; Stitch # 1; 1.5 . Babylock Imagine

Burda 6846 in Sweater Knit

Fresh on the heels of the double brushed jersey top, blogged here, I made another version in a sweater knit from Michael Levine which I purchased for $4.80 per yard.

This is a loose-weave knit in shades of salmon/coral and ivory in cotton/poly/rayon/spandex.  I wanted to see how Burda 6846 sewed up in a sweater knit and it turned out very well.  

In my typical fashion, I used a stretch stitch on the sewing machine for all seams and trimmed/finished the seams with the serger.  The hems were done on the coverstitch.

I considered adding clear elastic to support the raglan seams, but I was worried it might be uncomfortable and/or affect the fit under the arms. We'll see how well the sweater holds up over time.  

 Mehetabel is wearing Jalie Eleonores in navy heavy weight stretch twill, also from Michael Levine.

My daughter, Mehetabel, loves it.  Huzzah!

I don't have much more to say about this pattern.  It's quick and easy. The pieces fit together perfectly and I was able to eke it out of two and half yards.

I'll probably make at least one more version of this top, and I might make the skirt too.

Cozy Burda Top and Jalie Éléonores

Here's an easy top that I whipped up recently as shown on my daughter, Mehetabel.  This is Burda 6846 which is now out-of-print.  How did I happen upon this pattern?  Well, I've been cataloguing my embarrassingly vast pattern collection!

I made a spreadsheet on Google Docs with categories for brand, pattern number, type, size, and a photo of the pattern.  I made the categories fairly broad on purpose.  It's been a long process, but I'm finally at the end--until I buy more patterns!  That's the blessing/curse of Joann's pattern sales. At least now I have an easy way to peruse the patterns I have on hand.

When I got to my smallish Burda stash, I set this pattern aside because it looked like a perfect winter top.

I had a little difficulty choosing which pattern size to use.  I wanted a slouchy top with plenty of ease, but I didn't want it to be so large it looked like a hand-me-down.  I measured and compared the pattern pieces, and I think it turned out fine.  It will also work well when I make it up in bulkier sweater knits.

The only changes I made were to lengthen the sleeves and hem by about an inch.

I also changed the order of sewing because I like to sew sleeves in flat.  Why not?!

The fabric I used is--I think--a double brushed poly.  I don't know the content because it wasn't labeled and I'm too lazy to do a burn test.  But it did well when I washed it and that's what matters to me.  I purchased this fabric at the oddly named Out of My MinDesigns in Carson City, Nevada, for $6.95/yard.  It was my first time visiting the store (I'm still new to Nevada); they seem to have mostly quilting stuff, but I found a small area with apparel fabrics.

I dithered (it's what I do--everyone needs a special talent) over which fabric to use for the initial version of this pattern.  I finally chose this DBP because it wouldn't be the end of the world if the top didn't turn out.

Construction was very easy, and this project came together quickly.  I used my sewing machine with a stretch stitch, trimmed all seam allowances with the serger, and hemmed the sleeves and top with the cover stitch.  

Mehetabel is wearing the top with a pair of Jalie Éléonore jeans made out of navy heavy weight stretch twill purchased from Michael Levine.  This fabric is great!  I've used several different colorways of it for Éléonores.  It has heft and a good amount of stretch.  I still have some in my stash, but I wish I'd bought more as they only have a couple colors left.  I've linked it here.

These navy Éléonores have been real workhorses in Mehetabel's wardrobe.  They fit her very well, they're a bit dressier than denim jeans, and the color works with so many of her tops.  Here, she's paired them with her navy suede booties which I think creates a long, elegant line.  I've blogged about the Jalie Éléonores here.  Just like the others I've made, I used my cover stitch machine to do all the topstitching on the pants.

I'm putting this top in the win column along with the Éléonores.  I'm not sure what I'll make next. Possibly the ubiquitous Blackwood cardigan or maybe another one of these Burda tops.  I also want to work on some slacks for Mehetabel and a jacket.  We'll see!

In the meantime, thank you for reading my blog, and I hope you enjoy the holiday season!

New Look 6301 in Minty/Aqua ITY Knit

I've made New Look 6301 quite a few times, but this is the first time I paired the 3/4 length sleeves with the straight skirt.  That's not earth-shattering, I know!  

This is another dress that I've made for my daughter, Mehetabel.  Previously, I've made her two straight skirted versions with sleeveless bodices (blogged here and here) as well as one with a flared skirt and 3/4 length sleeves (blogged here).

I've also made sleeveless, straight skirted versions for Mehetabel's bridesmaids as a possible option (although we went with a more formal look for the wedding) and another for the wedding officiant.

For this version, I lined the skirt as I did the cobalt and lime version, but I didn't line the bodice. (Why?!  I don't know!)  I also lengthened the skirt a couple inches to Mehetabel's preferred straight skirt length.  Shorter looks great when she's standing, but she's uncomfortable when sitting as the skirt rides up.

On an earlier version, I tried using the right front bodice piece for both sides with limited success. This time, I went back to the original pattern pieces.  I like this pattern, but the neckline can be a bit revealing.

The fabric is an ITY that I liked so much I purchased it twice: first from Gorgeous Fabrics and then I saw it for half (HALF!) the price at Spandex House.  Right now, it is available at Fabrics World USA for $7/yard.  I made a cardigan and top for me from the other yardage.

I love, love, love, florals, but I also like variety, so when I see a non-floral print in a fabrication I like, I snap it up.  This fabric is one of those purchases.  I love the colors, and while it may be a bit more appropriate for spring, our (almost) fall temperatures are still quite toasty.

Like the other versions, I added ten inches to the length of the belt.  I added elastic to the waist seam allowance.  All seams were sewn on my regular machine, with the seam allowances trimmed and finished on the serger.  The sleeves were hemmed on my coverstitch machine.

I think I will retire this pattern--at least for a little while.  I'm going to give McCall's 6884 a go.  I'm a sucker for a surplice neckline and a mock wrap skirt.