A Successful Failure?

Life gets in the way of blogging. My Paris SWAP did not get completed, but I'm happy with what did get sewn. Those HP Everyday Pants were my downfall. I made three muslins and thought I had them fitting me satisfactorily enough, but after I had finally cut a couple pairs from the actually fabric in my plan, they were much, much too tight. I am thinking that since I made my third muslin in a fabric with lycra (just like a couple of the fabrics I was planning on sewing), I may have overfit the final muslin. That's the only excuse I can come up with. I was so tight on time, that I was sewing the actual pants three days before we were to leave. Had there not been a problem with the pants, I think I may have completed all four pairs since this pattern is easy to put together. One thing I did learn from this pattern is that I may have knock knees. After going through all my fitting books, I came to the conclusion why I was having so many problems fitting this pattern was that knock knees might be the issue. I made the adjustment needed for this deformity, and the muslin did fall much better. I just don't know if it's the pattern or me, since I have never had this issue before. Someday when I have time on my hands, I'll try to figure this out. In the meantime, I'm putting this pattern away for a while--things always get better when you abandon them for a period of time. What I did do for my trip was go to Lord & Taylor and pick up a couple pairs of pants in black and grey to go with the tops. Now those pairs fit great, I should just trace them off and make my life easier.

I did complete all my tops plus two more and the jacket was worn several times before we left. I did not take the purse since I prefer the travel purse I take on most trips. I have reviewed the tops and jacket on Pattern Review, but just did not get a chance to show them here, since it was the end of tax season, work was beyond hectic and sewing was my priority!

So here are pictures of my completed projects:


McCalls 4596. I sewed this in a lightweight wool charcoal twill and lined it in Ambiance. My biggest problem with this jacket was finding a 20" zipper that I liked. Since I could not find one that I really liked, I ended up using a black plastic zipper reasoning that it would just blend in and not show. I am happy with my decision. PR Review


Material Things Fearless T-Shirt #109. This t-shirt has become a TNT pattern for me. What really helped me was that I followed Marcy Tilton's "Where Did You Get That T-Shirt?" DVD. Marcy takes you through the fitting process showing how to fit yourself when no one else is around to help (which is usually the case). I followed her fitting instructions and am very pleased with the results. I made four versions of the shirt, but the last one I don't have a picture of since I sewed it up at the last minute. I used a rayon/cotton knit in a sage green and made the basic T with 3/4 length sleeves. The other tops were made from rayon lycra, or rayon/cotton lycra knits. PR Review

Textile Studio #1205 Marseilles Top. I made this top from a crinkled georgette I purchased from Emma One Sock. It is somewhat see-through, but I wear a black camisole under the top and it looks quite casually dressy (if there is such a term). I lowered the neckline opening 2" and bound the entire neckline rather than just turn it as given in the instructions. This top did see a couple evenings out during our trip. PR Review

Loes Hinse Bianca Sweater #5208. Another new TNT. I changed the neckline of this top into a v-neck since I thought it would look better with my choice of fabric. This is a knit from Casual Elegance I bought last summer. This top was incredibly easy and fast to sew. I need to go through my stash and see what else I can make with this pattern. I think I'll also try the pattern's original neckline next time. PR Review

For our trip, I also packed a black silk cardigan sweater, loads of scarves, a dressy pair of black flats for evening, my silk pjs and my perfume print robe. I wore my jacket, black pants, one of the t-shirts, my short black raincoat and my very comfortable Ecco shoes (which I lived in and never got tired feet) on the plane. We left Boston on April 22 and came back on May 2. My head is still in Paris.

Oh, I also have to thank my resident photographer, my son Kenny, for taking these pictures. He was very patient with me.

The bag from H _ _ _ !

I had high hopes for this bag. I love the lines and size of it. This bag was perfect for me, just big enough, but not too big--loads of possibilities. I began sewing this last Saturday afternoon starting with the lining first, since I had forgotten to buy cording which was needed for the handles and piping around the bottom. The lining went together quite quickly, even with an inside zipper and outside zipper attached to the facings and lining. Then Sunday I ventured back to my machine and all the trouble started. I really did not want to drive to the nearest Joann's which might not even have the cording sizes I needed and would take at least an hour round trip. I improvised and raided the Boy Scout's rope bag and found nylon cords in the sizes I needed. Just snipped off a few inches and I was back in business. I made my piping for the bottom of the purse but had a terrible time trying to get the sides of the bag to attach close enough to the piping. I guess my biggest mistake was in my choice of interfacing. The pattern instructions recommend sew-in hair canvas interfacing, but I thought that fusible stiff Pellon would work just as well. After several tries even though I had marked the stitching lines, I decided that in order to get close enough to the piping, I would have to hand sew the bag. I had a couple rows of stitching on the bottom already, the stitching just needed to be closer to the piping. I must have spent an hour sewing that bottom together, innumerable pin pricks (I don't remember ever bleeding that much on a project) and numb fingers from forcing the needle through all the layers. Thankfully, all my pain and suffering ended in succe ss. Then came the hardest part attaching the facing and lining to the body of the bag. Since I so brilliantly chose a stripe that would show if I venture d out of line when trying to sew parallel to the stripe, lining everything up with all the bulk created by the interfacing was quite a venture. More pin pricks and bleeding on the project. This pattern made it hard to actually sew up to the sides of the bag since not enough room was given between the ends of the zipper and the sides of the bag. the facings could be a little wider too. I decided to treat the intersection of the two pieces like a notched collar and sewed just a stitch away from the intersection. This actually worked and allowed me to turn the bag to the right side with just a moderate amount of bulk. Then the pattern called for edge stitching around the top of the bag. This was not to be since the edge was too thick to fit under my machine's presser foot. I ended up hand tacking along the edge hiding my stitches in the stripes. If I kept up with this hand stitching through all that bulk, I would have developed callouses since the tips of a few fingers are becoming sensitive and hard.

Would I sew this again? Maybe. I still like the lines of this bag, but next time I will make modifications to the pattern. I need to rethink where the facing meets the sides of the bag and reshape the pattern piece. Also, I think if I use a less stiff interfacing on the facings and omit the piping on the bottom of the bag it will be much easier.

Oh la la, I have a Storyboard

Up and Running!

I have spent the past two weeks choosing fabric and patterns and editing like crazy for the Pattern Review Wardrobe contest. I now have a plan, I just need time to execute it. My travel wardrobe is based on neutrals with charcoal as my starting point, adding black, more grey, beige and ivory. Sounds boring, but by using fabrics with pattern, it breaks it up and adds interest. Besides, these colors should travel well.


Starting at the top left going clockwise: charcoal wool for pants and jacket, beige tropical wool for pants, black tropical wool for pants, grey microfiber for pants, black & beige stripe for handbag, ivory & black rayon stripe knit for long sleeve T-shirt, top, ivory rayon knit for short sleeve T-shirt top, crinkle silk georgette for evening top, grey rayon knit for top and variegated grey knit for sweater.

The patterns I chose for my wardrobe:

Textile Studio Marseilles Top #1205
McCalls #4596 jacket, short collarless zip front
The Classics, Material Things Fearless T #109
Loes Hinse Bianca Top #1508
Vogue #7036 handbag view A
Hot Patterns Plain & Simple Everyday Pants (same pattern for all 4 pairs)
Jalie top #2682


If there is time, I want to add more tops using the T-shirt (gold & black rayon knits) & Jalie top pattern (green rayon knit) plus adding the Loes Hinse Tunic Blouse #5202 (while rayon jacquard fabric) and Textile Studio Tank Top Shell #1203 (beige/taupe rayon jacquard). One more item I could add would be another sweater in the Loes Hinse Sweater Set #5201 cardigan using some wool double knit I also have in my stash.

Tonight I plan to trace off and work on a muslin for the McCalls jacket. I figure that will be the most challenging part of my plan. I already have enough interfacing and lining for this, but will need to get a separating zipper for the jacket. I have been looking for one, but have yet to find one that isn't too sporty. I want to be able to wear this jacket to work, not just on my trip. I will keep looking since I don't want to cut the jacket fabric until I have the actual zipper.

Last Sunday, my sewing friend, Ann B, came over and we both made duck tape dummies. I am pleased with the way mine came out and it is on my old dressform now (no pictures of this babe without clothes will ever get published). This will be a great help in fitting the jacket and tops. Ann helped me name her--Madame! My old dummy was named Goddess, but her day came and went. Madame fits a woman of a certain age.

My Second Attempt

Pattern Review is having a Wardrobe (aka SWAP) Contest running from February 1 through April 30. I need/want new clothes for our trip to France at the end of April and I want to sew down some of my stash (Fabric Fast). So it makes sense to me to try to complete a SWAP thus accomplishing two goals at once. I will need to finish by April 20 since we are leaving only a few days after that.

This time I won't try for as many complicated (time consuming) garments, just a few knit tops, one pant pattern used three times and a TNT skirt. I think I know which tops I want to sew, but what I'm having problems with is deciding on a jacket. I plan to bring my black Dana Buchman raincoat, so I want something that I can wear under that. Layering is key. Once I can decide on a jacket, then the rest is easy to plan. Researching the April weather in France I found that during that time of year it is not as romantic as the movie or song . It is cold and raining--maybe that's why the tickets didn't cost as much as I thought they would.