Perle de Nacre by Grains de Couture

This book.
It's like discovering a gold mine and then seeing all the gold is behind a razor wire fence.  Guarded by poisonous spiders.  Small ones.  Lots of them. (That's probably my personal nightmare.)

So I got this book twice.  The first time was right before I left Switzerland the first time and my housemate lost it.  I bought it again when I came back.  I was sad that it's not available in English, but the patterns are so delicious that I wanted to make sooo many of them!  It's not very approachable though, because it is in French, and you have to add seam allowances, and what makes the patterns interesting is that they have lots of details -- the kind of details that make adding seam allowances a seriously daunting task.

I know this because I was determined to start with Opale and I messed up all the seam allowances and I can't recut the bodice and it's lying in a pile of shame.

So I started over.  I made an Onyx for a friend - you can't go wrong with a sweatshirt, right?  And I realised the Perle de Nacre was also very straightfoward so I got on a roll and traced it at the same time.

The pockets are the top pleat! Ingenious!

It went without a hitch, surprisingly enough.  All my skirts this winter really educated me.  I didn't miss the instructions much - I didn't even glance at them, just used the diagram for the pleats.  I took a long time working on the pleats.  Here I was very glad for the drape drape experience!  However, I realised later as I was applying the waistband: when the pleats are not doing what you want, flip the fabric over.  The answer to my problem was on the back where I could see an imbalance that wasn't visible on the front.

I cut a size 5, I think remembering that skirts really need to fit properly at the waist.  Interestingly in Grains de Couture I cross so many size lines!  I guess this is what it feels like to work with patterns that are not made for your body shape.  I have to cut a waist size 2 bigger than my bust or hips...anyway it's a touch small as in it sits exactly at my belly button, which on such a skirt is good but is a weird style for me.  I will have to get used it and and maybe (quel horreur!) tuck a shirt in.  I only cut off about 1.5 inches and then folded over a 2cm hem. I could make it a bit shorter...and seems I have made the front longer than the back. Whoops. 

The fabric is crazy star canvas from MissMatabi on etsy.  I was in love when I saw it and dithered but eventually bought it.  I wasn't too excited when I saw it in person but now I'm excited again!  I love it in this skirt!  It is of course quite solid stuff, and holds the shape of the skirt very firmly.  I like it but I would (if I desired more such skirts) probably try a different fabric next time.

Overall this has increased my confidence in facing the Opale again.  I still love this book and every time I look through it I want to make something right now!  

Briar Briar Briar by Megan Nielsen

I realised that I was absolutely craving a loose cool feeling tshirt.  This culminated in buying the pattern on Thursday literally as I was running out the door for the bus that was taking me away towards Copenhagen.  Naturally I spent my birthday weekend in Copenhagen buying amazing viscose knits for Briars!  

Briar 1.
Green viscose from Stoff 2000 in Copenhagen.
Added 2" to the bottom all the way around. I cleverly decided on my size by reading that Lauren of Lladybird cut a size XS. So I cut a small.  The size chart would have told me otherwise! The looseness makes it kind of ok that my belly shows, but I will definitely lengthen. This was totally a great start and I love the neck binding, however was surprised how heavy and dense it is.  This is serious binding!  I ended up shaving about 1.5" off the center back bottom, tapering to nothing at the sides.

My friend Meike took these nice pictures in Zurich, that's why there are so many.

Note on the label: So my friend Martin gave me some of his grandmother's sewing supplies when she recently passed away. I got her button collection and a bag of dusty thread...and this one label from Martin's grandfather was among the thread.  I adore it and I am trying to track down more!  I have been wishing for cool labels but none magically appeared until now : )

Briar 2.
Grey-purple viscose from Skipper Stoffer in Copenhagen. By Marni.
Size XS. I added now 3" to the front. I shortened the back by the amount I had shaved off version 1.  I forgot to add those 3" to the side back and got this cool feature...

So I made a creative hem. I am not too happy with it but cutting it straight across would involve yet more work.  Also, the neck binding seemed too short.  I got all those wrinkles along the neck.  This is all because I was sewing this in a rush while I had a guest and I wasn't paying close attention - the snips don't go at the side seam, they match up snips along the neckline - so my back neck is too loose and my front neck is too tight.  I was very disappointed by this version.  Felt like I made a bunch of changes that obviously, in retrospect, wouldn't work.  Then I wore it to show off at work and everyone loved it.  Really??  I admit I love the fabric.  But I am also irritated by the fit at the shoulder.  I revisited my changes.  And wished I had bought more of this fabric.

Briar 3.
Dark teal shiny viscose, also from Skipper Stoffer in Copenhagen.  By Prada.  This is the stuff that doesn't have that cottony feel but is cool and heavy against the skin.

I corrected the sides on my XS pattern pieces but I really didn't want to mess this up so I traced another version, just lengthened the entire pattern, this time 4 inches, figuring it is easier to cut off when it's on me, than to have cut too much too early.  I also shortened the front of the armhole, what would be raising the shoulder on a dress - but only the front, by 1cm.  The back, in purple, sits fine but the front has pooling fabric at the armhole. Similar, actually, to the effect I get in *all wovens*. Ugh, armscye problems, I will never conquer you.

This fabric was not too fun to work with - very slippery, and my machine and the IDT are absolutely not wonderful with knits.  The theme of my Briar obsession has been Ohhhh if I had a thingy-machine with those four needles I would be getting such better results...if only I could pick a country and live there so I could justify more machines for my obsessive hobby.  Instead, I am gearing up to sell my Pfaff prior to my departure.  It would otherwise live in someone's attic for over a year and I don't have enough friends with attics.

But I paid so much detailed attention to this shirt and it absolutely shows.  This is the platonic ideal of a Briar!  It took three tries, and I have arrived.  I am happy.  I cut about 2" off the back tapering toward the front (I tapered through the side seam a bit).  I even pulled out some labels that I bought in Paris.  Adding a label to something makes it seem downright professional!  I wish I had more cool labels.

Taking a (short) break from Briars now : ) 

Watson bra by Cloth Habit

I made the Watson panty a whole bunch of times but the bra pattern sat for awhile before I felt ready for it.  Finally I was convinced when I had enough silk scraps left over -- this is stretch silk which I dyed last summer using the Shibori technique.  I made a Renfrew from a friend out of it, hence the scraps.  In order to stabilise the fabric, I cut two layers of everything.  I cut a 32C.  My spray glue came in handy!  I glued the fabric in half and then cut double thickness of each piece, except for the front part, where I had to cut it on the fold anyway and just cut two.

According to the size chart I should be a 34D.  I didn't believe the size chart.  I cut a 32C.  My silk is pretty stretchy and my boobs are pretty small.  I think that I will never have believable bust measures since my high bust is bigger than my normal bust size due, most likely, to my back muscles. 

I basted the front together, which is recommended by the instructions, then sewed all the double pieces as one unit.  Had some trouble figuring out what I should use to finish the front cup, but I went with lingerie elastic as that is all I had.  I don't know if I had high expectations due to other people's pictures, or if I thought making two Marlboroughs turned me into a bra genius, but I had no fun making this bra and I don't like it.  AND I know there isn't a good reason for the latter.  My Pfaff makes bra making catastrophic.  A short zig-zag stitch doesn't get caught by the IDT foot and the fabric sits still and makes lumps of thread.  Anything horizontally uneven gets pushed to the side and so, for instance, sewing on the clasp at the back was terribly frustrating.

For a next version I would try the shorter one so that it feels like a normal bra.  I would use much finer elastic on the front and top.  I really don't like the look of this wider elastic (and something can also be said for pretty findings - I'd match the elastic colour instead of mixing black and white).  I would round the cups at the bust point and take a tiny bit of fabric out of the right one.  I might also take a tiny wedge out of the lateral side of the outer cup.  I always have gaping there and I don't know if pulling the elastic tighter would be enough, or if I would be better off with slightly less fabric in that spot. The 32C was the right size though, so I wouldn't change that.  I usually wear a 32C or 32D bra so this is consistent with RTW for me.

In terms of bramaking in general, I think that this is almost comparable to the Marlborough for a first bra pattern.  I think the Marlborough has more hand holding details and it is possible to get a better result.  Here I found the intersection of the cups and also the top of the cup where it goes through the strap to be spots where the results could vary a lot.  But overall I don't think there is a huge difference. And I think some of my lack of excitement is that I am not sure what I would do with a bra like this.  I am pretty partial to underwires in my daily life. Maybe the shorter Watson would convince me more.

Schnittchen Coco in silk

The version I made for my friend was a straight size 36. The length was ok on me, as was the shape, but the shoulders and arms were way too tight.  I decided it was time to take the plunge (muslins never help me much.  All my projects are, like, a muslin for the next project.  Like life!) and I cut a size 38 on the top, merging to a 36 below the armholes.

Then this project sat around a bit because I didn't have a bobbin with black thread.  My bobbins run my sewing life.  Seriously.  The Coco is an easy project but it gives me the feel of a difficult one. I did make one change right away though - those darts, what is up with them? They are short and funny and actually make the fabric bag out.  I marked my real bust points and made proper darts.  First time changing darts, and hell didn't freeze over or anything. 

The left arm is twisted, and the left body apparently too.  But it could also do with an ironing...

Other than that, working with nubbly raw silk is always amazing, it presses nicely and eats up the stitches, and it is rough and stays put in the machine.  (I got this silk from the Scampoli in Milano, about 20euro/meter and too amazing to resist. I think I got the charmeuse at the same place because I couldn't leave without this beautiful colour in my life.) Unfortunately charmeuse is never totally amazing to cut and sew, but I do have to ask - it's normal to sew charmeuse without pins?  Or have I just forgotten what life was like without the IDT?  Never know...anyway -- crowning glory was inserted the first lining sleeve backwards.  Oh, ugh, worse than sewing charmeuse is taking it apart.  I use a 60 sharps needle when I sew with silk and fine things but it still leaves holes.  Continued in similar vein - I ended up sewing the sleeve lining a total of four times and one of them is still wrong.  Then of course my facing was on wrong and I had to undo that - also twice- I so absolutely have facing dyslexia. 

As previously, I referred to Jen's bagging tutorial because my brain is like a sieve.  I made the lining just like the exterior although I left the wonky darts out of laziness, added the facings, and then sewed around the edge and bagged it.  I did the weird octopus thing to sew the sleeves together.  It came together quite quickly other than all that undoing.

Unfortunately, I am still just not on board with the Coco.  The arm length is wrong, the left sleeve twists funny, I still don't like the fit in the underhalf of the sleeve, it hurts my pointy elbows.  I want to put a button but then the collar looks silly.  I am caving in.  I might try one more muslin of the Marfy pattern, but otherwise I am doing that 200 hour Chanel jacket seminar.  I am getting nowhere with jackets. 

Panty party part 2: Rose crossover panties & Watson bikini

Made another Watson bikini:
Recycled fabric from an old ibex tshirt that had holes.  Panty lining is from the arm of a tshirt I cut off. I made the XS this time, keeping in mind my old stretchy wool fabric.  What can I say, this pattern really works!  It's cute and fits and feels just like something store bought.  I made this before breakfast...

...and a second Rose crossover bikini:
Made this after breakfast : )  I cut the XS. Followed the instructions (the elastic looks really good!) And then I tried it on.  And this is a total fail - I didn't bother putting on the waist elastic.  It would fit me around the waist this time, barely, but the butt feels like wearing a diaper - there is a huge amount of pooling of fabric in the butt.  Because overall the woven doesn't stretch, getting the waist fit right means I can barely pull the panty on. That is when I understood why the pattern model is sewn with a fully lace back.  I think this pattern needs to be done with something either knit, or stretchy.  For now I have had enough of trying it.  According to the size chart, I am an M, but it looks like an XS is the right fit.  I might revisit this when I want some really sexy lingerie and I am willing to work with stretch silk or lace.  Maybe folding an inch out of the butt would help too. 

The other issue with this is that the instructions say to pull a bit of tension as you are sewing the leg hole elastic on.  I would adjust this to say: pull a f*-load of tension on it because you need it to really gather the fabric.  Nothing wrong with this pattern (the rebel in me always wants to point out the bad in patterns to counteract the blogosphere's freaky perky happiness with all indie patterns...) but I would definitely need to spend more time to make it fit my bottom...

Silk Emmeline & Silk Scout

Oh my gawwwd I am such an addict.  I am in my usual pre-departure phase which means I suddenly and unhelpfully want to buy clothing as a psychological support for my upcoming months of homelessness.

And that extends to fabric, ah, sillllkkksssss!  In Italy!!  We went to Como one day because it was a Swiss national holiday and thus, what could be more thrilling than the not-closed Italian grocery store full of wine, cheese, pasta, fresh tomatoes, etc? Um, and the not closed shops in the center of Como full of nice cheap clothing?  Or the FABRIC STORE in Como full of not cheap, Italian silks? Especially as I was just recently reminded I wanted to do Emmeline in silk...And the shop was full of silks!  I couldn't possibly resist an artistic Italian panel, or some wild paisleys...so now my pile of projects for the next month has stopped shrinking!  Help!!

To gird myself for this and also for an upcoming evil chiffon project, I got out the tools. On the Scout I tried out the spray glue. So, spray glue.  Really.  Doesn't help a whole lot.  Instead of just lying your pattern piece on the fabric you have to apply it really carefully and I think this took up enough time to make it a waste of time. Your fabric and pattern piece are nicely attached to cut out, but then you have to rip the pattern piece off the fabric (would NEVER work on anything fragile) and then you have sticky pattern pieces. Which gum up your iron.  haha!

Sorry head, we don't need you after all...

More on the Scout: I cut a size 2 with a 1" wide shoulder adjustment and a bit of shaping at the bottom, otherwise no changes.  I continue to be incapable of doing whatever I am supposed to on the Scout with bias taping, so I went for another, um, creative couture finish. (This is very narrow bias tape! I can't fold it over into 1/4s!) This is a good fitting Scout and I am so happy with it. It still pulls a bit across the back but overall the fit is much better.  After the glue experiment, I gelatined the rest of the fabric before cutting out the sleeve.  Gelatin here is a bit tricky as it comes in sheets.  I ignored the instructions and plopped it in warm water, which made a gooey mess, and then I just popped the fabric in that...it got some bits of gelatin on the edges but was delightfully firm to cut and sew.  I love gelatin.  One is supposed to dissolve it in cold water and then add it to a warm water bath.  That way you avoid the gummy gelatin ball.

Annoying unfinishable triangle at the armpit.

As a reminder of how great gelatin is, I cut out the blue Emmeline without anything.  It sucked.  I also didn't pay attention on the front which is why it has a design feature of being half matte and half shiny.  I am great at adding design features ; )  I lengthened the Emmeline using the bottom of the By Hand London Polly top pattern. I french seamed, and had the same problem as before that there is no real seam allowance difference at the sleeve, and so it creates a triangle-fabric-mess.  I can't think of a way to avoid that. I then used my micro rolly hem foot on everything.  This was totally experimental but it came out amazing, even though the shirt is actually quite, ermmm, not symmetrical...it looks great on!  Way better than expected! and NO BIAS TAPE!!  My life has been so improved by learning the use of this hem foot.