A little bit of Home Dec.

After I moved,  The Boyfriend and got a lot of new furniture and set up the apartment.  My favorite new piece of furniture was my couch and I was super excited to make my own throw pillows.  I drafted a very simple pillow case with a square for the front and 2 overlapping rectangles for the back so I could easily remove the pillow and wash the cases.  I decided it would be fun to break in my brand new serger I got for my birthday (back in January) to construct the pillows.  My new serger is a Babylock Imagine.  It works so well.  I love how easy it is to use and the feet are really cool also.

The fabric is a vintage barkcloth-like fabric I got at an estate sale my mom and I stopped at on a whim after seeing a sign on the side of the street.  I was originally going to use it for dining room chair covers, but decided to use it for pillows instead.  One day, if I have a kitchen with a small window over the sink, I will use the rest to make a curtain.  I thought it would be cool to pipe around the pillow and found the perfect red-orange vintage piping in the stash.  Unfortunately, I did not have enough for both pillows. I went to Joann's to try to find a match, but the red piping there was not a close match.  I chose a light lime green instead.

Like I said, I used the serger to make the pillows.  The piping foot is awesome.  It worked perfectly!

Peplum Top Pattern Adjustment Tutorial

I promised a picture of the New Look 6130 peplum top facing pattern I redrafted and here it is:

Front facing.

Back facing.

The idea of having a neckline facing and an armsyce facing flapping around inside the shirt was gross to me, so using the main body pattern pieces I drafted my own facing and I think it worked pretty great. 

Here's how I did it:

1. First, draw on the sew lines on your pattern pieces.  In commercial patterns, this is usually 5/8."  I, however, changed all my seam allowances before I cut the pattern so my seam allowances were 1/2" for most seams, and 1/4" along the neckline and armsyce.  I also left a 5/8" SA at CB where I was inserting the zipper.  
2. Match up your sew lines on the front bodice pieces.  See my pattern below.  Can you see how the armhole matches up perfectly on the CF and SF bodice pieces?
3.  Place a piece of tracing paper over the pattern and pin/tape down. 
4. Your front facing should be  2-2.5" wide at the CF neck and 2-2.5" down from the bottom of the armhole, depending on how you will finish your edges. This is 2-2.5" from the sew line, not the cut line.  
5. Make sure your facing is square (at a right angle to) the CF vertical line.  At the sides seam, square a line the distance down from the armhole that you decided upon. 
6. Trace the shape  up the armhole 2-2.5" from the armhole, until you get to where an armhole notch might be.  That is where the shape starts to get a little wonky.  (the dashed lines curving around the armhole are 2.5" away from the cut line)
7. Use a french curve and/or a hip curve to connect the two lines (one starting from CF, one from the bottom of the armscye).  The shape should look smooth and natural.  See how it didn't on the back facing and I corrected it.  
8. At the sideseam,  mark 1/8" in at the bottom of the facing. From that 1/8" mark to zero at the underarm, draw a line.  This will be done on both front and back.  this small removal of fabric tightens up the facing a bit and prevents it from creeping out of the bodice.  
9. On the back, I did everything above, except the facing is wider (or longer?) at CB.  I like (and was taught) to make wider facings in back.  4 inches is a good length down from the neck on this pattern.  The back neck drop is fairly shallow, so this will work well and it won't be too deep.  Basically you don't want the facing overlapping your scapula bone (your chicken wing!).  Just like you don't want a tight facing going over your boobage!  
10.  One thing I forgot to do, but do it all the time was to decrease the shoulder width on both sides by about 1/16 - 1/8" depending on fabric thickness.  What you will do is mark both sides of the shoulder seam (on front and back facing) and blend to zero to about 2/3 the way to CF and 2/3" down the armhole, whatever blends naturally.  It's easy to see once you are doing it.  

the first step.  

That's it!

Let me know what you think!


Thanks to my newest followers!

scherimm
Becky Ensinger
Nina
Angie Newell

180! That's Amazing!

Here's a fun picture of Pearl:

Pearl modeling Fritz's Halloween costume...A Giant bath sponge!!! Yup, I made this one too in about an hour for $3.00.

HAHAHAHA!

She Sews Seashells Down by the Seashore

With the leftover fabric from this dress,  I decided to make myself a maxi skirt.  I bought a simple black maxi last winter and it is probably the most comfortable thing I have ever worn.  For a while now, I've been wanting to knock it off, and that is exactly what I did!  I used the skirt to make a pattern and now I can make a million replicas if I want.  Hooray!

The skirt is only 2 pattern pieces because the front and back are the same and the fold-over waistband is made with just two slightly trapezoidal rectangles.

This skirt was one of the fastest things I've ever made.  It seriously sewed up in about a half hr.  I started before dinner, ate yummy mediterranean food and drank too much wine and then serged on the waistband when we got home.  So easy a tipsy person could do it!

I waited a week to photograph it because I wanted to do it on location and just didn't have the time or energy to do it before now.  After work, my brain is fried.  I get up around 6am every morning and by 9:30 or 10pm I crash.  I've only been doing little sewing projects like this on the weekends.

Thanks to the Boyfriend for going to the beach with me for literally 5 minutes!  We couldn't find a parking space and parked illegally just to get these pictures.  :)

A Weekend-Only Picnic Skirt

Weekend-only, you ask?  Well, the reason is because I got a job!  I'm officially an Assistant Technical Designer and this skirt is just too short to wear to work.  I've had a full week of training on just the company info, hard and soft lines.   This week I start job-specific training.  Last week was so great and I'm so thankful the company put so much time and effort into training.  I feel so lucky to have found this job.

Yay!  Back to the skirt.  I saw Tilly's skirt and thought it was really cute, but never intended to make it until I went to the swapmeet and found almost the exact fabric (for $1.50/yd. I might add).  Yes, I know I could have made it with different fabric, but it really wasn't on my list of things to do.  I followed the instructions for the most part because I honestly didn't want to have to think.  Hehe.  I omitted the pockets because I wanted to draft them a little differently from the instructions, but didn't want to take the time.  I started the skirt last Sunday night, the day before my first day of work.  Being the moron that I am, I decided to not make a paper pattern, which caused me some trouble.  I accidentally cut the skirt too short, hence the skimpiness.  It is totally wearable, but I can't bend over too far.  :)

The buttons are from an estate sale find.  I do love them.

Thanks to my newest followers! I'm so sorry for the neglect of the blog.  Thanks Cynthia and Danielle! 

It's April, and a Very Merry Xmas to you!

School got in the way, so I never posted pictures of what I made as xmas gifts this year.  Here they are:

Vogue 1250!  The "Everyone and their Mother Dress"  Coincidentally, I made it for my mom.  She said she loved it and wants another.

Another Simplicity 2603 Cardi-wrap for my sister.  She requested another one this year:

A dress I drafted from my sister's favorite Michael Star top:

And knit scarves for my sister and my niece.  My sister got the brown and grey infinity scarves and my niece got the zebra/black braided scarf.  Its from a tutorial I found somewhere on the internet, but unfortunately I don't remember where:

And of course the shirt for my dad which I just finished last week.  I've taken pictures and will post it soonish.  

And the worst blogger award goes to...

This girl!

Sorry folks for being MIA.  Last quarter was rough. It wasn't all that difficult.  Actually, I had relatively little work and very little to show.

I've been avoiding blogging because I've been too P.O.'ed about the Red Dress experience and have nothing to show except my sketch and some pictures of the half finished dress.  I was so angry the last day that I didn't even bring a camera to take pictures.  We were told there would be pictures taken of the dress though so I'll have to follow up on that.

I'll talk about my other classes briefly, then the Red Dress class. I only took 3 classes:

The Red Dress Special Project Class

Creative Design Analysis and Collection Development (CDACD)

Computer Pattern I


I enjoyed Computer Pattern making.  We use the Gerber Technology AccuMark pattern making software, and I think it is kind of fun.  The system is a little wonky and not intuitive at all. Nothing like Photoshop of Illustrator. I enjoy it though because to me it's like solving a puzzle.

CDACD was a fun class because we designed 2 bigger collections with little to no restrictions.  My teacher was very nice and informative if you asked the right questions.  I really wish there had been more structured and organized lectures.  The syllabus was not followed at all and I feel we lost a lot of valuable information.

Oh the Red Dress class.....I think I had a hard time this quarter blogging because the only thing I could really show you was my progress on the dress and I was not in love with my design, the fabrics, and most of all, the instructors.  I absolutely regret this class and wish I could get my money back and take Industry Pattern instead.  I can honestly say that I only learned 3 new things this entire quarter and all were explained to me in hindsight...after my dress was done.

1)  DRAPE AND FIT IN A FABRIC SIMILAR TO THE FINAL GARMENT! Yes, I know I've read this before and even fit my own garments this way, but my instructor insisted that draping, patterning, and fitting my bias skirt in muslin would not be a problem.  Only on week 10, the last week of the class, did she mention doing test fits in a similar fabric.  My dress didn't fit the form even though it fit in muslin.  

2) When cutting out bias pieces, hang the bias pieces unassembled overnight in the direction they will hang on the body.  Then place the pattern pieces over the "stretched" pieces and adjust the hem that undoubtedly became distorted.

3)  Sometimes, on a bias garment, the CB needs to be raised a bit to adjust and balance the side seams from swinging backward.

I should have dropped the class in week 4 like I intended, but I was assured the class would get better, and I would learn something.  All the demos were haphazardly planned it seemed, unorganized and usually postponed to following week...and the following week....and the following week until there was not enough time.  There were too many students and not enough working machines and work space was limited.  All the special feet were only available to us when the sewing machine repair man? was available to come in to class and bring them to us.  The first week he came, we hadn't even made our patterns yet.  He didn't come to every class so there was no way of knowing what equipment would be available to us.

I truly believe every student in the class felt the same way I did about the instruction and the way the class was run.  I know some students enjoyed the class because they believed in their design and liked making their dress, regardless of the lack of organization, space and instruction.  I am really glad that some people were able to make the best of the class.  

Okay, and now for some pictures, and what you've all been waiting for:


The first 3 sketches:

I chose sketch #1 because I thought it would be fun to flat pattern.  I ended up draping almost the entire dress...oh, well.  One day I will make sketch # 2.  I love this dress and would love to see it made up in silk velvet.

I first drafted a pattern and made a muslin (but don't have any pictures).  The skirt was way too Sleeping Beauty and the insets were so-so.  My instructors suggested I change the triangle insets to flaps.  I had to redraft the entire skirt portion, change it to princess seams, and I also changed the godets to inserted, inverted pleats.  (Say that 5x fast!)
Here is my second muslin with some fabric pinched out where it needs it:

  And delerious me "piecing" together my 3rd muslin.  I'm so glad I took a quilting class a few years ago because it saved my sanity making this dress:

Muslin # 3 on me.  Unfortunately, the dress was way too big for me:

The final sketch:

And some images of the almost final dress:  

I actually really liked the fabric in the end.  It was a heavy silk charmeuse.  The dress looks awful IMO though....

Back close-up:

I love the beading.  I ended up ripping out these beads and replacing them with darker narrow bugle beads.  They were much better.  I beaded the back collar and the triangle front flaps with scallops and evenly spaced the beads about 1/2" apart along the front of the neckline (not pictured).

Bodice close up:

Maybe one day I'll have better pictures....

Thanks to the followers that were concerned about my absence.  I'll try to keep up the blogging.  

  

A Wrinkled Hot (Pink) Mess

My last project in my Pattern Drafting class was a pair of shorts.  The requirements were:

1) Must be shortened (ie. not full length pants)
2) Must have rolled up cuffs
3) Must have mock-fly zipper
4) Must have patch pocket

I decided I wanted to make a retro-inspired high-waisted short.  I also wanted to try to get rid of side seams and create a side panel instead.  I saw similar pockets on BurdaStyle and wanted to try something like it.

The fabric is this cheap-o hot pink linen I found at the FIDM Scholarship store for $2/yd.  If you breathe on it, it wrinkles.  A lot!  Don't worry, this is not how I presented them for the critique.  They were pressed very nicely.  I took the pictures after they were folded in the bag.

This is what I came up with:

The pictures suck.  The cuffs ARE even in real life and the back waistline does not tilt like that.  I forgot that I hadn't taken pictures so I threw them back on a mannequin and snapped real quick photos with my phone in a cramped little sewing room full of students trying to finish final projects.  I didn't bother getting them on correctly.  I was so afraid they wouldn't fit, and they didn't, but thank God for linen and its stretchiness.  I stretched the fabric so the zipper would close!

I didn't know how they would turn out when I drafted/designed them.  I wish the inseam would have been shorter and the high waistline not so high, but overall it was a good project and I got 100%.  I think they are ugly, but who cares! They are done! Sometimes I think FIDM teachers grade really easy....oh well.

Up-All-Night Madras Shirt

My last Pattern Drafting class project was a shirt.  We drafted a casual shirt sloper and sleeve then designed a shirt with:

1. collar and stand
2. detached front button placket (not a facing)
3. sleeve placket
4. french cuffs
5. shirt tail hem

Not much room for design, but that was okay with me. :)  I originally came up with a cute scallop placket and short puff sleeves, but I didn't have time to execute it.  My design was simplified drastically  and I played with fabrics instead.  

I started my draft in class two Thursdays ago.  I ended up not using any of it really except the shirt tail hem shape.  The following Tuesday, I redrafted the front and back, made a collar and stand pattern, drafted the front placket and the yoke.  That day I also finished up the patterns for the bustier and finished up my Creative Design Applications Activewear 12 piece group (I finished at 3am).  

So Wednesday night comes along (I got home at 4:30pm) and I haven't even gotten my pattern on manila (oak tag)!!!  I finished up my patterns, cut them out of manila, then cut my fabric.  I didn't start sewing until midnight!  

Sewed, sewed, sewed all night and by 6am I had the hem left.  My machine broke and I was panicking.  I left for school (The Boyfriend has been AMAZING and driving me to school when I don't get enough or any sleep the night before).  In the car I drew my flat sketch and worked on my Pattern Card (a list of pattern pieces).  At school I sewed the sh*ttiest hem ever and put the shirt on the dressform.  The shirt did not need to have buttons and buttonholes (thank God!)  

Compared to others, it was really well sewn, and I got a 98% on the sewing.  Don't know what I got on the pattern, but I'm sure I did fine.  

Here's my madras shirt with contrast placket, cuffs, and collar stand!

Again, I apologize for the crappy photos.  I need a better phone.  

Even matched plaids...

The placket is pretty crappy, but it was sewn at 5am!

I heart my collar.

The fabric is vintage madras. I paid (well my mom did :) ) $5 for 3 yards.  The contrast is a cotton/poly blend I got a the swapmeet for $1/yd.  

Thanks to Jaime, my newest follower! Enjoy the blog!

Gingham dress Lining

Just a couple requested pictures of the lining. Sorry Branka that it took so long!  I also apologize for the wrinkles.  Just pretend they aren't there.  The dress has been crammed in a ball for a while now.  Still want to insert a zipper, but I haven't gotten around to it.  It's completely lined and enclosed.  I used a burrito method at the waistband.  I squished the entire bodice and the entire skirt into the waistband and sewed the waistband together, then pulled the bodice and skirt out through one of sides.   Here are the pictures:

Don't Sew at 2am...unless you have to...

My second project in my pattern drafting class was to create a torso block (a combined bodice and skirt block that goes down to the hip level with fisheye darts for shaping and no waist seam) and then use the torso block for a design of my own.  I decided to create a fitted multi-seamed little black dress.  Here's my technical sketch:

Imagine this dress with contrasting piping, cute huh?  Or contrasting topstitching.... My original idea, which I backed off on because of time constraints was ruched side panels.  I decided that since I didn't have time to make a muslin, it wasn't worth trying...and possibly failing.  

So now for the dress.   The pictures were taken with my horrible phone camera.. Very blurry, but you get the idea.  I'm so NOT Happy with my sewing.  Sewing all those curved seams in a very very very stretch cotton sateen was a pain in the ass.  I thought it would be easier.  Next time, I'll use a wool crepe. My corner seams (I used my tutorial!) were beauteous!  My first invisible zipper in a year and a half (inserted at 2am) was pretty damn good.  My facing was great....the hem awesome! BUT THOSE CURVED SEAMS RUINED THE DRESS!  And it wouldn't press well...And I think in my haste I cut a panel off grain.  Ugg, so much to hate....When I finally make my own sloper, I'm making myself this dress.  

So yea, not too happy, but elements of it were good.  And I got an A on both the pattern and the dress. I thought I deserved a B, but I'll take an A.  

Next up, the plaid dress lining pictures, and the Valentino Bustier....