Liesl + Co Everyday Skirt

I have at least 5 navy tops (either just plain navy or navy/ cream stripe) that really needed a lighter colored skirt to go with for the summer. My current light colored skirt (Vogue 1247 ) is just too short to wear to work.   As for fabric, I had a light colored cotton twill which was recently added to the stash.  I decided to try out the Liesl + Co everyday skirt to fill the wardrobe hole.

After reading some reviews and such, I was torn on what size to make. In the end, I decided on a large.  The only alterations I made was to shorten the skirt by an inch and to shorten the elastic (probably by three inches).   Since, I didn’t have three- quarter inch elastic at home, I went ahead and used one and half- inch elastic instead.  This did make the back of my skirt bulky especially because of shortening the elastic.  To tame it down some, I zig-zag stitched down the center of the elastic.

As of right now, I am not sure if I would be better going down to the medium or just altering the large more. The side seams feel too far back.  I think taking a quarter-inch (for a half- inch total) out of the center front would help that.  I would definitely go out and buy half- inch and three-quarter inch elastic for any future versions.  Otherwise, I know the back piece needs less width but I don’t know how much to take out.  The length needs to go up at least another inch beyond what I have done.  I really want it to end just above the knee that way there is a gap between the top of my boots that I wear in winter and the bottom of the skirt.

 

Announcing Doll Clothing Week!

Mark it on your calendar! The first ever Doll Clothing Week is coming October 10 to October 14^th, 2016.

Right now, I am in the process of lining up a few giveaways and a blog hop. If you would like to participate in the blog hop please let me know.  Remember as doll clothing week, any doll will work, not just American Girl 18″ style dolls.

There will also be a Facebook group page so those without a blog will be able to share their creations with the rest.

 

Queen Elite 2

Queen Elite (front)

So I finally made another Queen Elite bra from my class kit I got last year.  I made the same size as in the class a 37F.  However, this time I added an eighth of an inch on the center back (for a total of a quarter inch).  I did not make any changes to the length of elastics.  That definitely help the bra feel better.  My class one was just a touch too tight that it left red marks when I took it off.

Queen Elite (inside)

This time, I decided to pre-stretch the channeling before applying it to the bra cups seam allowances.  It really helped me apply the channeling easier.  Probably not recommended but it gave me one item to focus my attention on at the time and that was stitching closely to the edge in the cup seam allowance.

Queen Elite (inside)

I did pick up the new sizes of the Orange Lingerie Marlborough bra but I am not ready to try out a new pattern quite yet.

Last night, I did get four purses for the Sew Powerful Purse project cut out along with a skirt and my August murder mystery quilt block.

 

 

Seashell Ruffle doily

My mother absolutely adores doilies. In fact, she said the best Christmas present my grandmother ever gave her was a set of three hand crocheted doilies.

Actually the Sea Shell Ruffle doily is the third doily I have made. For it I used Aunt Lydia’s Fashion 3 in Plum and Ecru.  I used a size H hook.  This doily took a whole ball of the purple thread.

This took a couple of tries to get started. Most of that is just lack of experience.  After that, the pattern was pretty easy to follow except for the final row.  I didn’t quite understand what was going on from reading the instructions.  So I made up a pattern and kept it up through the whole round as the final border.  I made sure to note it down on a post it note and put inside the book.

Next doily will be A-792 Brocade from a Coats & Clark book (1969) for my bedroom dresser.

Vogue 7637

Here is my Vintage Pattern Contest entry. I chose Vogue 7637 from 1968.  Now there isn’t too many pictures because it is just too hot to wear a wool dress for any length of time.

My pattern is a size 16 (bust 38, waist 30, and hips 40). I was fairly confident that the bust area would be fine but the waist is definitely too small.  I used the hinge method and added 1.5 inches to each side seam (front and back).  It may have been a little too much but at least it doesn’t look like the dress is a tent on me.  Anyways, it was better too large than too small.

The length was shortened but I can’t remember if it was 3 inches or if it was 4 inches.

So the other area that I did pattern modifications to was the sleeve. The original sleeve pattern looked too small.  Measuring at the bottom of the arm curve, I think it was around 14.5 inches.  Trying to measure myself, it looked like I needed 17 inches.  I split the pattern down the shoulder line then right under the arm hole curve and spread the additional 3 inches.  Unfortunately they were not the right changes as now the sleeve doesn’t feel right.  It is too tight when I move my arms.  I think it is because I made the sleeve head shallower.  The length of the sleeve is fine though.  But honestly, any more sleeve alterations will have to wait until it is cooler outside. I think some of my fitting troubles is because even in the air-conditioned indoors, it is just too hot that one always feels clammy.

Drape Drape 2 Top No. 4

I actually picked up the Drape Drape 3 book first but wasn’t certain if there was a great starter pattern in it for me to make. Therefore, I ordered Drape Drape 2 next.  I have seen several version of top number 4 on the internet and it looked like a good starting point.  Something not so overly dramatic that it isn’t wearable every day and as few of pieces as possible.

I did cut a trial out since I am above the limits of the X-Large. The only change made before the trial was to raise the neckline.  I raised it by 4 inches.  For the trial, I never put in the neckband piece.

From the trial, I decided I needed a little more width in the hips. Also the right sleeve opening was a little tight.  The left side was cut along the seam allowance then hinged out about a half-inch (on both left sides).  Then I sliced the fold line on the right side and added a half-inch in there.   To make sure that the right sleeve opening wasn’t too tight, I added a little to the sleeve opening and tapered back to nothing at the neckline (on both right sides).

There are no pictures of the trial because I used the same navy blue fabric for it as I did for the final version.

On to construction, this is a fairly easy top to put together. I did add quarter-inch clear elastic in the shoulders of the top to help keep the shape of the shoulders.  Since, I raised the neckline, the neckband dimensions given in the book would not work anymore.  I measured a new neckline length of 28.75 inches.  I used a 24.5 inch by 2 inch neckband.  Before final hemming, I tried on the top.  The length was near where I like tops to be at.  So instead of turning under the hem, I drafted a hem band of 46 inches by 3 inches.

Reglisse Dress

So my friend’s wedding was near the end of June. I have been helping her out some for it.  She requested that I wear something in the colors of her wedding and that it be something I would be able to wear everyday not a special occasion.  I wasn’t certain what I should make until I came across this cotton shirting on Fabric-Mart’s website. The first pattern that came to mind was Deer & Doe’s Reglisse dress.  (It was right after Pattern Review’s weekend and I had seen Deepika’s cute Reglisse dress.)  I knew it would be a perfect combo for the wedding.

I really didn’t have time to make a muslin to double-check size. So erring on the hope it is enough, I traced out a 44 in the bust and graded to 46 in the waist.  I have made Deer & Doe’s Airelle blouse before and knew that I used a smaller seam allowance for a better fit with the size 42 at the bust.

The fabric was only 45 inches wide, so I changed the two piece circle skirt to four piece circle skirt. Since the fabric is a nice weight Japanese cotton shirting, I did skip interfacing on the tie collar.  I was concerned that the tie collar would end up being too heavy with the interfacing and would not roll.

As Deepika suggested, I went over to The Little Tailoress’ blog and looked at her construction changes to the pattern. I did use some of the suggestions just not all the hand sewing.

For future uses of the pattern, I will have to lower the bust dart at least an inch.   I think that also caused some of the awkward flatness in front.   I did also have the Bruyere top traced out.  So a quick comparison of the two front bodice pieces, show that the bust darts on the Bruyere are lower than the Reglisse (just lining up the under arm on each piece).  I am not sure if Reglisse is just a special case or if I would have to do this on all Deer & Doe patterns.

I just saw over on Deer & Doe’s blog that the Reglisse dress is up next on being updated.

http://sewinglondon.co.uk/deer-and-doe-reglisse/