Monthly Roundup November '10

So much of my crafting this month has been super secret Christmas crafting that I haven't yet been able to show you, I feel like I don't have much to say.  I have been pretty busy though!

Sewn items have been:
1) Ottobre 03/2010-23 shirt for Logan
2) Butterick 4910 dress with Simplicity 2561 baby corset for Myra
3) Simplicity 3765 pants with matching appliqued onesie as a baby shower gift
4) Simplicity 2526 pants for Myra
5) Surprise #3
6) Surprise #4
7) Surprise #5 & 6
8) Ottobre 03/2004-9 shirt for Myra
9) Surprise #7 & 8
10) Vogue 1099 jacket for me
11) Simplicity 2290 PJ pants for Logan

That adds up to a total of 14 sewn garments, which is pretty much my average.  I suspect that with baby coming this month, I won't manage that again anytime soon.

Knitted items have been:
1) Surprise #1
2) Surprise #2
3) Two pair of baby mittens - one for the Wee Prof and one as a baby shower gift
4) A sweater for Myra, that ended up too small, so I'll be sending to my niece
5) Surprise #9
6) Surprise #10

A total of seven items, and one was a sweater!  Even though it didn't fit, it still was super cute and I'm pleased with how well it turned out.  I learned a lot knitting it.

For next month, I don't intend to plan much.  The Wee Professor is due officially on the 31st, but both of my kids have come at 37 weeks, which will be around the 10th of the month.  I don't think I'll get a whole lot of time for sewing at first.  Good thing I'll still have all that Christmas stuff to blog about!

I did just purchase a big pile of fleece to make some snuggly jammies for Myra and a couple of sleep sacques for the Wee Prof.  It gets really cold in our house at night, particularly in the bedrooms.  Myra has been having a little trouble sleeping on the coldest nights, so I am going to make her a jumpsuit to go over her flannel PJs.  She has cozy blankets, but she kicks them off in the night.  I have already cut out Ottobre 06/2010-13, which hopefully will do the job.

My next SISC project will be #11 - Vogue 8603.  I am making it out of this fabulous heathered brown RPL and fun floral lining, both from Gorgeous Fabrics.  I've really been looking forward to both this fabric and pattern, so I am so excited that this is the one I picked, but I'm definitely not setting any sort of deadline.  It'll happen when it does!

Vogue 1099 - SISC #2

SISC item #2 is sewn!  I really appreciate all of the input regarding the sleeves of the jacket.  Thanks to everyone!!

Here is the finished product.  I really like the way that it came out!  It isn't like anything else in my wardrobe, which is fun.  The pattern is Vogue 1099, a Badgley Mischka design.  It is a very loose fitting jacket, with a standing collar, shaping in front with pleats and gathered short sleeves.  The pattern includes a slightly gathered undercollar, which I did not make.  I basted it in, and it just didn't make me happy.  Otherwise I followed the pattern.  The lining pattern is included, but does not include the pleats, rather forms a sort of princess seam with the facing piece.  It looks nice, but I don't think it has quite as much ease as the jacket front.  As is was, I actually sewed a size 10 without alteration.  There is so much ease that an FBA wasn't necessary.  The fit is fine in front, but over a more bulky top, the jacket is a bit snug in the back and sleeves.  Obviously designed to be a spring jacket!

The fabrics are both from Hancock's.  The shell is a cotton pique and the lining is polyester crepe.  Both are soft and have a nice drape.  The pique has enough body that I didn't interface the body of the jacket at all, just the facings.  I wanted a soft, more casual look.

So, who's wondering what I did with the sleeve?  In the end, I did the lining per Vogue's instructions - gathering stitches which I tied off.  Both Audrey and Jane M have made this jacket and found the sleeves to have sufficient ease in this area that reinforcement wasn't required.  It looks good that way, but it was a serious pain, so for the shell, I used clear elastic to gather/stabilize.

I generally sew on clear elastic with a zigzag, but I wanted to preserve the look of the lines of straight stitching,  so I used a regular straight stitch.  It was a little fussier to sew on, but I think it looks good.  I initially thought of shirring/smocking with elastic thread in the bobbin, but I wanted to be able to better control the finished length and that isn't really possible.  Then Trena reminded me that shirring elastic seems to have a pretty short lifespan, and I want this jacket to last!

I really thought that this would be a good jacket for my belly, and while it does fit over the belly, I think that it makes me look rather more triangular than I actually am.  Fortunately, I only have a few more weeks before we can see how it looks without the belly!!

What would you do? - Vogue 1099

I still have one more Christmas project to sew up, but while I await supplies, I'm taking a little selfish sewing break and working on my SISC jacket, Vogue 1099.

This morning I got the lining/facing unit mostly constructed.  I always do the lining first so that I can work out weirdness and finalize fit on the part that doesn't show.  This time the weirdness was with the sleeve.

Here is the lining sleeve, constructed per the Vogue instructions.

Here is what Vogue wants me to do - sew the gathering stitches, gather to match, and then tie off the stitches. No stay or any other way of stabilizing the gathers.

And it should end up looking like this, which allowing for the difference between lining and shell, I think it mostly does.  My concern is that it isn't very stable.  Those stitches can slide all over the place, and what a mess if a thread breaks!  Also, I'm not so confident in my square knot tying ability, and ripping open the lining when the knot unties or the stitches pop doesn't appeal to me.  So, I've been contemplating my options.  My first thought was to stitch on a twill tape stay once I have the gathers where I want them.  That would stabilize them nicely and I think, preserve the appearance of just rows of stitching.  I also contemplated gathering with shirring or clear elastic.  What do you think?

Ottobre 03/2004-9

I'm taking a little break from the holiday sewing to fill some wardrobe holes for Myra.  My poor little princess is ill prepared for the chilly weather - and has no long sleeve tees.  So I pulled out a favorite from last year - Ottobre 03/2004-9, the wrap front tee.

I made her two versions of this tee last winter, and they were perfect!

This time I added a little stretch lace to the neckline band.  I love that there are so many opportunities to embellish this otherwise simple tee.

The fabric is a bamboo jersey that my mother used to make this top, and then sent me the rest.  I still have quite a bit left, so Myra will likely get a springtime dress once the weather warms up again.

It's a nice color on her!  The neckline is a bit more snug than she needs - I think I'll just whack of the seam allowances on the neckline and band for the next time I make it.  No worries getting it over her giant head, thanks to the wrap.

Baby shower!

I've been busy with my holiday sewing, but I got to take a break to make this set for an upcoming first girl!  Her shower was yesterday, so I can share what I made for her with you now.

The pants are my usual Simplicity 3765, with cuffs added for warmth and grow room.  The fabric is the same fleece that I used to make Myra's pink pants.  I appliqued a purchased long sleeved onesie with a simple fleece flower, and knitted some baby mitts out of a soft mohair yarn, then trimmed them with ribbon woven through eyelets knitted into the cuffs.  I hope it keeps this little princess warm and cozy!