Curbing the Cute!

Right now the idea of making new clothes to wear...anywhere...feels strange.  It's not like I needed to make new clothes before the virus took off, so I'm not sure why it feels so different now.  I obviously have plenty of time and fabric, but...meh...not so much desire or inspiration.

Usually this time of the year I am consumed by the need to make something that is "too-cute-for-its-own-good."  Some pastel confection that seems like a good idea in the moment and almost as quickly gets relegated to the donation box!  (It may be a bit of a silver lining that I haven't succumbed to the usual cutsie outfit.)

If you have been around for a while you might remember some of these....

                    

          

Yep!  Too cute!  What was I thinking?!!  Most of them were fun to make, but....yikes!  I'm telling you, it's a spring thing.  So the fact that I haven't been bitten by the cute bug might be OK.

Before I left for Florida I had set out a piece of fabric that I have been wanting to make into a coat.  I thought it would be a great project to come back to and hit the ground running.  In February there would still be plenty of cold weather requiring a nice wool coat.  Well, fast forward, we now know that 1.  I won't be needing a wool coat in Key West, and 2. I'm not going anywhere right now!!!!  Coat or no coat!  So the idea of making the coat kind of fell flat.  But last week I was still thinking about the plan I had for that fabric.  I decided, what the h--l, just make the coat, what else have you got going?

The fabric is very interesting.  It's a knitted wool that has a faux finish on one side that makes it look like distressed leather.  The texture is firm, but has a soft feel that makes it comfortable to wear.  I thought the knit side would be fine on the inside with no lining so I decided to bind the seams and edges to finish the coat rather than making facings.  I started with a pattern from Style Arc that I have made before...

Remember this one? (You can read about it HERE.)

I have worn this coat a lot and really like the weight and the styling.  For my new coat I swung the side seams forward and added patch pockets.  I used the reverse side of the fabric to make the collar and cuffs.  

And it was definitely spring in Michigan when I was taking these pictures...bright sun in my eyes one minute, and it started to snow in the next!

        

I went from 'why do I need to make another coat?' to 'Hey, this is pretty cool!'  I am glad that I went ahead and made the coat.  I may not wear it often, but, unlike my other too cute spring projects, I won't be sending this one to the thrift store...at least not this spring!

PS...If you noticed that my newly installed Instagram link is no longer there, you are very observant!  After wrestling with it for the last week or so I got a note from the "Widget Police" that "your monthly views have exceeded the limit for the free version of the app, please upgrade to a monthly plan."  First of all, thank you!  I am so glad you are tuning in occasionally and hope you are enjoying the posts. and Second, please feel free to visit my Instagram page, though you will have to get there on your own.  I decided you all are smart enough to do that without a monthly fee.  Enjoy!
The name is: Beckysewsalot

A Little Bit of Fall Color

Like all of the seasons this year, Fall has been a bit different.  By this time in most years we would be enjoying blazing red maples and golden oaks in every direction.  But things are staying pretty green and I'm thinking we may just go from green to bare on the first blustery day.

I did get the chance to take in some fall color on our recent road trip around Lake Huron.  Our color timing was perfect  as we rounded the north end of the lake in Ontario.  Crisp mornings, sunny afternoons, a bit of rain just to remind us that winter is just around the corner.  It was just the break I needed and really got me in the mood for fall.  And fall sewing.

I'm never sure which is my favorite...'wool season' or 'linen season.'  I guess it depends which end of winter I am sitting at!  But right now I am all about the wool.  For several years now I have been saying that I need to make a new travel jacket.  I have a Michael Kors black wool knit jacket that I have worn for years when I travel.  It is just the right length, just the right weight, I can sleep in it on the plane and then wear it out to a fancy restaurant...it just works!  However, it is starting to show the years and the miles.  I realized that I will keep on wearing it unless there is something to take its place.  I'm heading out to Sonoma for Thanksgiving so I decided that now was the time to get 'er done!

It wasn't that hard to find a candidate in my stash.  I collect wool jerseys the way quilters collect fat quarters, so I had plenty of options.  I chose a bottle green wool jersey that is quite heavy.  I hoped that it would give me the tailored look that my old jacket has without having to add much structure.  I had made the Merchant and Mills Ottoline (read about it here) jacket earlier this year out of an Italian linen and really loved the style and fit.  With a few tweaks I knew I could make it work for the travel jacket I had in mind.  Because I had such a specific idea in my head I was a bit nervous about whether I would end up with what I wanted or end up disappointed and still wearing my old black jacket.  But I am happy to say that it turned out just great!  I am so pleased with it.

          

First Ottoline on the left...second Ottoline on the right.  There is a family resemblance!

I did start with the Ottoline, but made quite a few changes.  I put a zipper instead of buttons.  I didn't even consider trying to put button holes in the heavy jersey.  I covered the zipper tape and the collar seam with a narrow Petersham ribbon to finish the inside since the jacket is unlined.  I used snaps at the cuffs and vents, again to avoid button holes!  I lengthened the jacket to just cover my tushy, which is one of the things I like about my old jacket.  The pockets have a round corner and a square corner and I added little brass rivets for fun.  And there is a little baby 'pocket' on the back yoke.  I used a lighter weight wool to line the yoke so it wouldn't get too bulky.

          

I can't wait to try it out on my trip to California.  I think it will be just the ticket!

While I was in the travel mode I decided to try and make a version of my go to travel shirt.  I have a whole drawerful of Smartwool quarter zip shirts that have become the only shirts I pack anymore.  Again, perfect weight, go wherever I want to go and so easy to wash and dry on the road.

For my shirt I found an absolutely gorgeous cranberry colored jersey.  Again I was nervous that I wouldn't get what was in my head, but the sewing Gods were watching out for me and it is just what I I had in mind.  Two for two...it was a good couple of sewing days!

Most of my Smartwool shirts have exposed zippers, but the only zipper I had that matched was an invisible one, so that's what I used.  I had to put a seam in the center front to accommodate the zipper and I really like the finished look.

I'm pretty proud of the matching job I did at the center front collar seam and I didn't even get one of those annoying dimples at the bottom of my invisible zipper!

I had such great success with my two new travel pieces that I am working on a third...it's a dress that I think I can wear as a jumper with the shirt...we'll see if the sewing Gods hang in there!  They do say three's a charm!  Even if the dress crashes and burns, I am ready to roll with my Smartwool quarter zip and my wool jersey jacket.  Bring on the TSA!

Sewing Together: A Twofer for Week Two

When Rhonda posted a link to the Chanel runway show a few months back I was in the middle of a series of projects using Merchant and Mills patterns.  It occurred to me that they were on opposite ends of the spectrum...luxury on one end and simple working garments on the other.  It was interesting to have those two ideas in my head at the same time.  Chanel takes a very down to earth fabric...tweed, and elevates it to total luxury.  Merchant and Mills take basic working garments and brings them into today's fashion vernacular.   So what would it look like to merge those ideas?  That is what this month's challenge is all about.  Taking humble garments and humble fabrics and pushing  the envelop of how we usually think of them.

It's been on and off horrible here in Michigan as far as weather goes.  Ice, snow, cold, more snow, a little wind, more snow....and to top it off I have been dealing with an airport sinus something.  You know, the stuff you pick up while getting on and off airplanes in drastically different climates...yeah...that!!!  What that means in my sewing room is....there have been no trips to the fabric store!  Whatever happens has to come straight from my stash.  I hadn't thought of this sew together month as a stash busting month, but it's kind of turning out that way. 

I pulled out a tweedy wool jersey for a top for this week's installment, but after seeing Rhonda's trial of the Francine pattern as a dress I decided I wanted a dress version myself.

Hmmmmmm....I'm not sure what the original dimensions of the piece of fabric were, but after washing and drying it I was left with a 47" X 66" piece.  No problem for a top, but I wanted a dress.  (whiny stuffy headed noises!!!)  Now, if you have read my Threads article from last year about 'Reversible Garments' you know that I am a total sucker for double faced fabrics, and, you guessed it, my slightly shrunken (is that a word?) wool jersey is in fact, double faced.  It is a lovely grey on one side and a grey and tan herringbone tweed on the reverse side.  So not only do I want a dress, but I want it to be reversible as well!!!  (maybe I shouldn't sew when I have yucky sinus-y head stuff going on?!)

I knew if I could get it laid out on the fabric I could make it work...
My usual trick of skimping on the seam allowances wasn't an option.  I needed them for the flat felled seams that would make my dress reversible.  I also 'decided' that I would like 3/4 length sleeves...yeah, 3/4 length sleeves that's the ticket!  I spent a very long afternoon wiggling pattern pieces and fabric around, but in the end I got it all on!

         

The fabric was a total treat to work with.  (I wish I remembered where it came from?) The knit was very stable and incredibly straight, no twisting that usually comes with a wool jersey.  It was also very resilient and I could press it directly without a pressing cloth which made turning all the seams way easier!

I followed the Francine pattern pretty closely.  I did have to forgo the side seam pockets and I did shorten the sleeves.  I turned the facing out onto the grey side and made the collar grey.   I also turned the sleeve hems and the bottom hem to the tweed side creating contrasting grey bands to finish the dress. This meant that I have one all grey dress and a tweed dress with contrasting collar, cuffs and hem.  I tried out a pocket on the tweed side and thought about a snap tab instead of the button and loop that the pattern has, but in the end I liked the simple elegance of the plain dress.

          

I was also excited to realize that it was a great match for a sweater vest that I have been trying to find a partner for for a couple of years!   I actually like it with both the tweed and grey dresses.  Bonus!

 

So...week two is a actually two dresses...one grey and one tweedy!  Does that mean I can take next week off?! 😏

          

I will link up with Rhonda's blog as soon as she gets this week posted....stay tuned!

Christmas Coat Number One

I feel like it has been a really long time since my last installment....I could haul out all the tired excuses, but the truth is, I have been procrastinating, big time, on my oiled canvas coats.  The stuff is really scary!😱

I received my heavy package from Merchant and Mills back in October!  I figured I had plenty of time to whip up three (maybe four) oiled canvas jackets before Christmas.  Oh silly naive Pollyanna!

Well, the first wrinkle came when we decided to go back to London the first week of December for an early Christmas with my now London based offspring.  Very fun, but that meant one coat had to be completed before the end of November! (and I would be in London for a week which would definitely eat into my sewing schedule for the other coats!)  AND I was still terrified of my pile of oiled canvas!

The 'last minute' always has a way of motivating me, so I jumped in.

My oldest son had chosen the Foreman jacket pattern in black oiled canvas.  I got the pattern ready...lots of additional inches for long torso and long arms...I was crossing my fingers that I had measured everything correctly.

When I started I had visions of maybe lining the sleeves and maybe a half back lining....I got the first pocket in place and realized that if I got the bare minimum of seaming completed I would be very lucky!  Because of the waxy finish there was no ironing allowed and, like leather, if you have to pull out any stitching, it leaves a lovely perforated line in the fabric.  So, no mistakes!!! 😳  I also discovered that I had to take a lot of breaks while working with this fabric.  I was literally sweating at times wrestling the weight through my sewing machine. 😰  I haven't had a challenge like this in a long time.  I love it!

 I used the recommended heavy jeans needle and heavy duty thread and still went through 4 needles for one jacket!!!  Like I said...this is tough stuff!  By the time I got ready to make the buttonholes I knew that that was never going to happen...plan B...big 'o snaps.

   

I packed it up along with a really cute wool version of the Francine sailor top for his girlfriend and hoped like heck that they would fit!

    

We got to London on Wednesday and were planning to have our Christmas celebration on Sunday.  I was a nervous wreck waiting to see if I had gotten everything right.  Whew!  The Christmas angels were watching over me!  Both pieces fit and looked great!

   

My models were a bit self conscious about being photographed...so I did the best I could!  I think they look pretty darn cute!

OK...one down...two to go!  🎄🎅  Ho, Ho, Ho!

What I did on my Summer Vacation...

Last summer I mentioned that I was working on a project that I couldn't share...well, I can now fill you in on it.  I was working on a garment for an article that is in the current issue of Threads Magazine.  

My idea is something that I have used often in my designs.  I look to one

fabric for inspiration when creating an embellishment for another fabric.  I often have fabrics that I want to use together because I like the color or the drape or the weight, but they don't necessarily coordinate with each other.  I will use some detail of one of the fabrics as the spark for embellishing the second one.  I also use this idea when I want to tie a piece together that might have several fabrics in it.  I call it "Echoing."  

(THIS older post has a good example of how I used the idea of echoing)

I don't usually copy the exact motif or texture or color to the fabric I am embellishing, but I take a silhouette or some aspect of the inspiration fabric and use that to create a surface design.  I'm not looking for 'matchy-matchy' fabrics, just something that makes them work together...an element of synergy.

In the piece I did for Threads I started with a piece of gold colored melton weight wool.  Now you may have noticed in my other posts that gold is not a color that I use very often...and you would be correct! 

It was interesting for me to find out that the editors of Threads have a color palette for each issue.(you can see the one for the February/March 2018 issue on the left of the photo)   I don't know how they decide on the combinations, but as I started working on the article they sent me the palette for the February/March 2018 issue so that my choice of fabrics would fit in with the rest of the colors throughout the issue.  It was a challenging palette for me and just the kind of thing that would have me trolling around for ways to fit gold into my 'normal' color choices.  A perfect opportunity for 'echoing!'

I bought the gold wool and went about finding fabrics in my stash that might give me a spark of inspiration to create an embellishment for the wool, AND fit within the colors of the issue. 

 The article gives a good idea of the different things I tried.  Some of them were more literal than others and some were definitely more successful than others.  I often find that there are ideas that my head comes up with that my artistic skills just can't live up to!  Painted embellishments quite frequently live in this category.  But whether the idea works out or not, it is always fun to experiment and get a bit messy.  Usually the testing takes  way longer than actually making the piece.

The brown and gold combo didn't even make the first cut of being in the color palette.  But I did find the rick-rack interesting with the Malaysian print rayon...might have to play some more with that combo.

I played for quite a while.  Trying different media and different techniques.  Part of the decision is how it looks and part of the choice is how well I can execute it! 















I had to go back and forth between writing about the work and doing the work.  It was definitely the case that I was creating the path as I walked it.  It was interesting to put my process into words, particularly words that would make sense to someone else.  I worked with a wonderfully patient and insightful editor, who took my thoughts and really wove them into a coherent piece.  When I would get something from her I would always think, "Yeah, that's what I meant!"  She made the process very accessible and fun.  I hope I will be able to do some more in the future.

It took a good chunk of my studio time this summer and fall so I am glad to be able to share it here, I really wasn't being lazy, just had to keep it under wraps until it was published.  The pictures that Threads took are obviously professional and really make the idea come to life...I did take a few pics as I was working that are not part of the article.  They are definitely in a different league than the Threads shots.

Because I was under a deadline and really didn't have time to create a new pattern as well as finish the surface design, I chose to use my favorite long vest pattern.  I knew it would work in the wool fabric and I could use the 'inspiration' fabric to make a top to go with it.

I used several of my 'raw edge' tricks...Petersham ribbon to stabilize the button holes and button band, top stitching around the armholes, lapped seams with more top stitching.  The collar is made of a wool jersey, and again the edges are left raw.  I also used the jersey to make the pockets.

I finally settled on a pretty simple stitched design to 'echo' the stripes in the inspiration fabric.  I used double thread to beef up the stitching.  It only took a couple of color changes to realize that I needed a better way to move through the colors...voila!...chopsticks stuck into thread spools did the trick.

I pulled each thread end to the back and tied them off by hand to secure them so there were no 'back-stitched' areas on the front of the garment.  



I used the multi-colored top stitching design to sew the lapped seams.

The top is a riff on my favorite T pattern.  I draped the fronts and attached them to the back and sleeves of my T-shirt pattern.

At the end of the day, I am pretty pleased with the outfit.  I might need to rethink the idea of using gold!  

I am also pleased and grateful to the team at Threads for helping me and producing such a wonderful resource for those of us addicted to sewing.