Colette Patterns: The Negroni!

I finally re-hemmed the sleeves and the shirt is ready to go back to live with the Boyfriend.  Since I stupidly never got a picture of him wearing the shirt, I had to take a photo of it on the hanger.  

I love the fabric.  It was another $1/yard find at the swapmeet.  It is a navy blue and white yarn cotton/linen shirting.   The pictures do not show the color very well.  I think it's cotton linen.  Or maybe just cotton. Or just linen.  I learned in textiles class that you cannot really distinguish between cellulose fibers in a burn test.  Linen's ash is a little whiter than cotton's, but not by much.  You can only really tell if you look at the fibers under a microscope.  They have different structures.  

I wish there was a front placket on the shirt and collar stand.  I think Peter from Male Patterned Boldness did a tutorial for it so I may just make my own next time around.  I already have more fabric purchased for the second shirt. A small navy blue and white check or gingham. I can't quite remember off the top of my head.

Here's my quick PR review:


Pattern Description:

Men's short sleeved and long sleeved shirt. View 1 has longer sleeves with a finished placket and cuff. View 2  is the short sleeved version. The shirt is slightly fitted so ends up with a modern look.

I made View 2.
This was the wearable muslin to see how it fit.

Pattern Sizing:

S to XL.  I think it is pretty true to size.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yup!

Were the instructions easy to follow?

Yes.  I thought they were very easy.  The yoke was put together a little differently, but it was easy and went together well.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?

The fit was really good for a shirt pattern.  I thought the sleeves were a little long for a modern shirt pattern.   Not sure I love the pockets, but they are kinda cute.

Fabric Used:

Cotton/Linen (I think?) shirting.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:

I shorted the sleeves by about 2 inches.  I also mock flat-felled the seams instead of traditionally flat-felling them.  It was quick and easy.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?

Yes! I already have the fabric picked out.  I recommend it to others too.

Conclusion:

Great shirt!


And....

Happy Mother's Day!

Holding Up My Side of the Bargain

Remember how I've posted some stuff from CSN.com?  You probably don't because, frankly the post was really lame.  Well, in exchange I got to purchase and review some items.

I honestly couldn't think of anything that I really needed in the given price range. I ended up buying a duffle bag and a shoehorn for the Boyfriend.

First, the duffle bag:

Well, I think it is well made for the price, but the picture shows 3 dufflebags and said it was 36" long.  The 3 bags through me off.  Even though I know what a yard is, for some reason I could not comprehend the size.  The thing was huge and not what I wanted at all.  Oh, well.  I wanted to buy him a carry-on size to replace his other bag, buy ended up with the ginormous one.   I was going to return it, but the return label and box accidentally was thrown away and it was too much of a hassle IMO to go through the return process without it.

Now the shoehorn:

The shoehorn is pretty cool.  The Boyfriend broke his $0.99 Ikea shoehorn pretending it was a baseball bat and it snapped in half.  I got him a metal one as a replacement.  My only beef with the item is that it doesn't stick all that well to the magnet provided.  You are supposed to be able to mount the shoehorn on the wall, but the magnet is not that powerful and we've already seen it fall off.  Oh, well.  What can you expect?

I feel bad giving mixed reviews of products, but I do not believe in fluffing up a review just because I was sponsored to write one.  Overall, I think he was pleased with the presents, but liked the handmade gifts like the Negroni shirt, and a handmade photo album I made for him better.  :)


Thanks to The Cute Octopus for becoming my newest follower! Only 2 more to the giveaway! I need to start picking out patterns!

Water-Casting Fun!

For my birthday, my parents bought me a Groupon to take an art class at the Saw Dust Festival in Laguna Beach.  It was actually my idea so I asked for it :)

I finally used it this weekend to take a Water-Casting jewelry class. Basically, you melt down metals (silver, copper, gold if you are lucky) in a crucible using a very, very hot torch.  Once the metal is molten you dump it into a pot of water.  That is it!  I got to dump it into a can of water and broomsticks.  Yes, broomsticks.  It created some really rad shapes.  Here is a basic tutorial I found online.

I volunteered to go first because the rest of the class was scared. It was a really big torch (That's what she said! --OFFICE JOKE, can't help myself).  I've had some experience with metal-smithing and water casting so I thought I could go first.  My first attempt went well and this is what I got:

This pieces is a 50/50 combination of sterling silver and copper.

On my second attempt, I got this:

This piece has more copper in it, about a 40/60 combination.  I added a pearl on this one too.

If I access to a torch again,  I would totally make more.  It was a lot of fun and really easy.

FIDM Classes and Books: A Review

I'm slacking on my class and textbook reviews.  I think I might wait longer in the future like I did this time because I have actually had time to read and use the books.

On Wednesdays, I have my Computer Aided Design class.  In this class we learn to use Adobe Illustrator to create flats of garments we design.  So far we have learned how to create basic t-shirts, blouses and shirts, pants, and skirts.  It's a very fast pace class and I enjoy it a lot.  The homework is kind of intense though.  My eyeballs are starting to hurt from being on the computer so much.

The text book I am using is called Electric Fashion: Drawing Fashion Flats with Adobe Illustrator.

The author is my instructor as well.  The book is very clear and it shows how to work with Illustrator in a step-by-step fashion to create a flat.  My only problem with the book isn't really a problem, but more of a pet-peeve that I have.  I hate poor spelling.  Yes, I have been known to spell words wrong from time to time, or type them incorrectly in a hurry,  but in a published book?  There are so many typos, but they do not detract or distract from the actual information.  The book is SOOO informative and easy to read.  I've always been a Photoshop girl, but never used Illustrator in my life.  I now feel pretty confident in with my skills and it's only been a few weeks of class.  If you are interested in learning how to use Illustrator and like fashion and fashion sketching, I highly recommend the book.  Even if you aren't using Illustrator to make fashion flats, the book is very useful in teaching how to use the tools.  On the website, there is even a sneak peak of the book.  Check it out!

See the book here!

I'm also taking Computer Grading, Marking, and Cutting.  In this class we learn to grade basic patterns manually and then by computer using Gerber Software.  I think the thing I like most about the class is my teacher's perspective on grading, the software, and the industry in general.  He seems a little pessimistic at times, but that's something I can relate to.  Right off the bat, he told us that grading pretty much sucks.  It basically helps you cheat your way out of making a whole new pattern in a different size  and fitting it to a fit model.  He let us know right away that it's not a perfect system and many designers just don't care if there clothes fit all sizes.  He gave the example of commercial plus-size clothing.  It sounds like he knows a lot about the poor fitting of plus-size clothing first hand because he mentioned his wife is plus size.  He gave great example of fitting issues and explained ways of fixing those problems.  I really appreciated his input on the subject since I read about it often in many of the blogs I subscribe to.  I think good fit is really important and it will be something I strive for if I ever design my own line.  Sadly, in the world of mass production, clothes can't fit everyone perfectly.  I still can't find a button down blouse or a pencil skirt to fit me.

Anyways, so far in the class we have learned about the breakdowns or "breaks" in a standard front bodice, back bodice, and sleeve block.  A lot of the class is memorization, but if you understand the concepts it is a lot easier.  So far I have found the class very easy.

The book, The Essentials of Pattern Grading: The Projection of Cartesian Coordinates Into a Spherical Geometry of Fractal Order 2.5 Using Collinear Scaling As the Algebraic Matrix..... Clarified is very basic, but I'm not a fan of how it is written.  The concepts and pictures make a lot of sense, but I think the book is a little wordy.  It is difficult to weed through the junk to get to the important stuff.  That being said, our first assignment was to grade a bodice block without any real instruction from the teacher.  He basically said read the book, and follow the instructions. I read the intro chapter and bodice chapter as instructed and graded the pattern piece with almost no difficulty.  I followed directions and got an A on the assignment.  Some did poorly, and it seems others dropped the class.  I'm sure there are better books out there, but I understand it, so it works for me.  And it's only about $3 used on Amazon so if you want it, buy it!  You can definitely adapt the techniques to grade more complex patterns.  Like rare vintage patterns!

Here's a look inside!

My Textile Science class is going really well. I love my instructor and I am learning so much.  I mean sooo much!  My Pattern Drafting class is going well too. A little slow for me. We've drafted a basic skirt sloper, a 6-Gore flared skirt block, a waistband, and a flared skirt. In my last class, I was able to finish up trueing (sp?) my personal straight skirt sloper while working on the class assignment.  During my lunch break I cut out a muslin and sewed a sample.  I tried on the skirt during my last break and it fit pretty well. Some issues with the hip curve that I expected and the waist is a little big.  Easy things to fix. I had time in class to do all that!  I want more homework! Challenge me! Is that weird??


Just want to say that I am not being paid or asked to write any of the reviews I have written about classes or books.  I wish I was though :)  I need the money!


And I'm too tired to check for grammar or spelling errors. hehe.

1 Year Blogoversary!

April 23rd was my Blogoversary!  I couldn't post the day of because it was a whirlwind of a day with an out-of-town wedding to attend and the Boyfriend was a groom's man.

Lately I've been a bad blogger.  No posts in forever, and nothing all that exciting to show.

The Boyfriend's birthday was this past week and since I wasn't in town then, I brought up all his birthday presents with me for the wedding.  I made him a cotton/linen shirt with the Negroni Pattern.  It actually fits him really well, but the short sleeves were too long so I need to hem them and then mail it back to him.  I never got a picture of him in the shirt!!! AHHH!  I remembered at 5:30am when we were packing up the car to go the airport.  :(

I'll get pictures one of these days and take pictures of the shirt when the sleeves are hemmed and it is pressed.

I'll have a full review of the pattern later, but overall it was a great pattern to sew.  It went together beautifully and the construction of the yoke was interesting. Another burrito method, but slightly different. I'm definitely going to make it again for a winter plaid shirt.  My dad might get a version of it too.  He tried on the Boyfriend's shirt, and although it was a bit too small I could tell that the larger size would fit him well.  Much better than the Victoria Jones pattern I made for him for X-mas.

So I've decided that I will definitely have a vintage pattern giveaway when I reach 75 Followers. It didn't quite coincide with the blogoversary, but oh well!

I want to thank everyone who has continued to read and comment on the blog.  I read every comment even if I don't respond and they all mean so much to me.  I love the sewing/craft blog community so much and am so thankful to be accepted into it.  :)

Thanks to CCInspirations for becoming my latest follower!

And of course, my Pearl:

The "deer-in-headlights" look.  

The Humble Beginnings of a Sloper

I finally have been inspired to draft a sloper.  For those of you who do not know, a sloper is a basic pattern block of 5 pieces (front bodice, back bodice, front skirt, back skirt, and sleeve) without seam allowances.  From this perfect shell of your body, you can draft ANYTHING! I love my pattern drafting class and I thought, "What better way to practice than to draft my very own sloper."  The back of my book, Patternmaking for Fashion Design (5th Edition), has a personal measurement chart to fill in with every possible measurement!

I followed the directions from the book and started by drawing CF and CB lines down a tight fitting tank top and leggings.  I added bust points and a piece of elastic around my natural waist as a guide.  I had help drawing dots and lines on my neck, back, and shoulders to complete my human dressform look.  My helper measured anything I couldn't measure myself.  39 measurement points with some having 2-4 different measurements.  It took a while, but we just finished.  I'm excited to start by drafting a basic skirt.  I've already done it for class twice and it is very quick and easy.  If I can get it to fit soon, I'm going work on drafting a high-waisted pencil skirt as my first real project! In between my classes, homework, and a possible internship....you know, when I have time...HAHAHA!

To prove that I drew on myself with an emerald green marker:

I photoshopped out the bust point X's.  It looked too pornographic for blog post.

Just a few more followers until my vintage pattern giveaway!  Yesterday we bought 2 huge boxes of older patterns (one box was a dud though) with 60's, 70's, and 80's patterns.  I'll pick some of the nice ones from there and from another stash of patterns we bought a while ago.

Maybe it will coincide with my 1st Blogoversary on April 23rd!

My Amazing Friend's Amazing Weaving

My Craft Center friend (and first sewing teacher) made me this gorgeous wool/mercerized cotton scarf over the last several months.  Isn't it beautiful?  She dyed the wool and I think she spun it as well. (I could be mistaken about the spinning) Then she hand wove it on a horizontal loom.   Geez.... hours and hours went into this project and I feel so lucky and grateful to be the owner!  

Check out that intricate design.  She said the warp threads are mercerized cotton and the weft is wool and some mercerized cotton.  

I tried hand weaving years and years ago, but I hated it! I did not like the instructor and she forced the class to make a gamp or a "fabric that tells us what happens when different colors, weave structures, or types of thread intersect," instead of working on a real project.  Well, because the gamp took too long, I never had time to make anything cool or pretty.  

 I will probably wear it somewhat like this.  Maybe with a pretty pin:

 Here's another view of it!

Thanks V!