Stretch suede Colette Mabel Miniskirt & the #sewfrosting challenge

This was a project that I thought up last year while I was binge-making these miniskirts.  I had one  stretch suede skin, in this dark wine red, and I tried really hard to get all the skirt pieces to fit onto it.  I cut each piece flat, I jigsawed like mad, but I couldn't magic my pieces to fit onto one skin.  I was stumped, because the colour and texture of the skin meant nothing quite matched.

The idea languished, until I discovered a blue stretch suede skin at The Fabric Store.  I had to brainstorm how they would match up, and came up with the idea of triangles.  I finally got working on it in October but immediately lost hope yet again when I saw that my triangles were too wide - one of them fit on each skin, but I needed two per skin.

It took the #sewfrosting challenge for me to realise something sort of obvious: if you can cut a piece in half once, you can cut it in half again.  I cut each triangle of the back skirt in half, making two triangles of each colour, and remembering to add my seam allowances.  I sewed these together right away so I wouldn't mix up which piece was supposed to line up where.  And I top stitched everything in its own colour.

Two triangles of the back skirt sewn together

Entire skirt!

This project was really hard only because of my terrible sewing machine.  It was frustrating to accept skipped stitches as the status quo and to let go of the idea of perfect topstitching, but I just don't have the equipment to do better (and honestly it's not like this miniskirt is going to be worn out too fast...) I had to switch to a new extra sharp needle after every 15 inches of sewing or it would skip too much.

I also forgot a lesson that I had learnt early during my miniskirt marathon, which is that the entire waistband has to be overlocked.  I stitched it on the machine and then understitched the waistband lining and then had to undo all that.  At least it meant I got to overlock at the end and enjoy one machine that worked well!

Once I got started actually sewing this was a relatively fast project, though I took a lot of breaks due to sewing machine frustration.  

I added the pocket by eyeing where I wanted it and marking the spot with chalk.  I also measured the size of my pocket by what I'd need to fit a wallet and phone.  (truth!) Luckily I had enough fabric for that - I chose to do the blue waistband so I could do a red pocket.

in my imagination this was going to come down to a perfect point.  Hm, pretty close though!

My miniskirt is great!  It is so stretchy!  Interestingly, I get horizontal lines above the hips which remind me of trying to fit the very classic and well loved Vogue 1247 skirt (here's mine) - just like I had to shorten the Persephone pants across the pelvis, maybe I have to shorten everything on "high waisted patterns" (ie ending at the belly button) between the waist and hips.  I've never measured my rise - I think I've just gravitated towards pants that fit without making any adjustments because of being a lower rise - except for the Persephone pants which have been worth the effort. 

Victory Frances top and dress

I was in love with this pattern when it came out!  I didn't have any inspiring fabric until now and my main focus was on the dress though I do love my knit tops.

In order to prepare, I made two tops - the long one and the cropped version, mainly to check sizing.

My long top was for a friend so I left it long, I did the low back option with the tie. I used a size 2 though my measurements were between 2 and 4.  My friend is a little smaller.

I think it's impossible to turn a closed ended tie right side out so I cut the end off and left it open.
Instructions otherwise just fine - I found the bindings too loose, but once the top was on they laid flat.  Also the top seemed HUGE!  But it's because of the very low back which is kind of floppy when it's just sitting there.  I really liked having 1/4" SA, it's nice not having too long edges to cut off, though now I have my own overlocker everything goes faster.

The second top is upcycled from a dress. It's short all right and that's without hemming, because I cut the back on the original hem of the skirt to avoid hemming it, so it's about an inch longer than the cropped version should be.  I'm happy with the size 2, and I prefer the low back, which does not show bra straps but is still nice and low.

For the dress I stuck with the size 2, the lowest back, and open ended ties. I made a swayback adjustment for the dress, cutting out a wedge to 1" at centre back.  It felt really weird to be doing this!  I kept comparing my pattern pieces to an old Skater Dress I still have to make sure I wasn't doing anything too odd.

I didn't use the pockets.  In a knit skater dress I think the chance that they pull the fabric down is too high.  I just drew a straight line that cut them away.  I also shortened the neckline binding by 4 cm, and I shortened the skirt by 6", 4 at the lines and 2 at the bottom. This left me with a huge stepoff in the middle of the skirt.

I guess the solution is to ignore the end width and stick with the shortened width because otherwise I'd have to widen the entire skirt from the top and that would change the entire skirt, or angle very steeply which would create an oddly triangular skirt.

My flowered fabric is an organic rayon blend and is very drapey and stretchy and cozy.  I got it from Modesa in Bern -  saw this dress in it right away. I put off sewing this once it was cut out because I was so so hopeful and I think I worried my final product wouldn't meet my expectations.  But finally I did it!  And it's great! It is the tiniest bit transparent at the bust but not so you'd notice. The design of this skirt has a little more volume than the Skater Dress pattern and so it hangs in gentle folds.  If I wear this a lot I would definitely add some clear elastic to the waist to keep it from stretching too much.

Shows that making tester versions really makes a difference. (ahem Metamorphic Dress.)  Weirdly, the sides of the skirt were longer than the centre, but the back wasn't shorter despite my swayback adjustment. I just laid it flat and redrew the curve.  I decided not to finish the hem or the sleeves because the rayon is so light and the sewing machine is so crappy, it's just not going to do anything good.  (Again if I haven't said it before: cheap modern Singer sewing machines are NEVER a good idea.  Though I supposed any sewing machine is better than none...)

Anna Allen Persephone Pants in Hermes Velvet

So apparently I don't learn from my errors.  Or possibly I just think that following pattern instructions and fabric weight recommendations...is optional.  Because version 1 of these amazing pants was made from a lightweight linen-silk blend that suffered from just not being heavyweight enough.

Thus for take 2, I naturally pulled this fantastic Hermes cotton velvet out of my stash. It's a one meter long and rather wide piece that I bought in Copenhagen and it is just so beautiful that I want to make everything out of it.  Naturally again...it's not heavyweight.  It um has great drape.

For this version I made size 4 again.  I removed the pockets.  They sit right on my hip bones and I can't get anything into them easily.  When something is in them, it hurts my hipbones.  So - no pockets.

Then by comparing closely to the first version, I removed 1 inch from the upper part of the waist.  I did this because I saw that the entire butt and crotch area fit me well, but I had excess fabric bunching at the waistband - the upper part of the rise was too long.  So I couldn't use the lengthen/shorten lines, since they are in the crotch and I didn't want to change that part of the fit.

I made parallel lines up high and used those.  I would lengthen the dart just a little next time as my modification led to a really short, fat dart.  I had to shorten all elements of the fly as well, and then make my own button placement.

I sewed these in one day.  It was amazing.  Except for the buttonholes.  I had small vintage buttons from etsy and no hammer, so I didn't test the buttons ahead of time.  And it ends up the crappy Singer I'm borrowing WILL make buttonholes but it does not align them correctly.  I had to do about 25 practice buttons before I could correct for the weird alignment.  That was when I realised that these buttons are some kind of vintage that look like they have to be soldered together. Etsy fail.  And since I had made 4 13mm buttonholes I was stuck with an irregular size.  I ordered So Many online buttons and nothing fit.  After a MONTH, I finally gave up and bought normal buttons at JoAnns.

And then once I finished the pants...the buttonholer Would Not make the buttonhole for the main button because of the many layers of fabric now present.  It's really frustrating to finish a pair of pants and feel like you are Just About to wear them but are stymied by a few small steps.  I seriously considered hand sewing the main buttonhole, but then I read a bunch of posts on how to hand sew buttonholes and decided I couldn't learn that before my frustration overflowed. So in preparation for a 3-day Thanksgiving sewing binge, I took these plus some big puppy eyes to someone I knew, who after much begging, grumpily sewed me one buttonhole on a Bernina.  I was never that excited by Berninas before but now I wish I had one.  It used a buttonhole foot rather than the long buttonhole thing, and because of this you have great control over the entire hole.

And my Persephone pants are done! And they are amazing!  And it looks like I need to size down for my next pair!  Which I will make in the correct weight of fabric, I promise! 

Straight Stitch Designs Laurelhurst cardi review

This pattern company is new to me. I have taken note of their patterns in the past but never been inspired at all.  However I'm cold at work and thought this might fulfill certain dreams of long and warm cardigans.  Here is the pattern.

It took awhile to get my pattern due to some trouble with the post. In the meantime I'd chosen my fabric - it's Oeko-Tex cotton from Switzerland - and I already decided that I'd give my first attempt to a friend - I thought she'd like the bright colours better than I would.  I made the size 2. The side pieces are big and so I had to shorten the pattern by 2 inches to make it fit on 1.5 meters of fabric.

It also had construction a bit more complex than I had anticipated.  Not difficult at all but I followed the directions closely.  I didn't have any issues folding over the neck or attaching it.  However, I did realise right away that I do not like this pattern.  It would be a little better in a fabric where the inside isn't white because the inside will be visible when the cardi is worn. 

Overall I feel like I'm wearing a badly cut random piece of fabric, rather than an actual sewn item of clothing.  I mean, it would be fine if it were an attempt at a waste-free cardi...but it's not.  Also, you cut into the front, creating a kind of open triangle, and then attach it to the back.  Because of the orientation of the cut's apex, you end up with the weakest part of that triangle at the shoulder, right where in general I would prefer a strong and trustworthy seam.

Reading through the Straight Stitch Designs philosophy I got that these patterns are for busy people who want creative looking clothes in a hurry.  I think that's not my style.  I need some finishing touches.

Fit wise - good.  Also because of the interesting cut and the L shape it creates, the front has an waterfall drape.  Again - I would prefer to achieve this effect with pleats at the shoulder, as in the Lisboa top.

This one was not for me, though the fit was fine.  I'm hoping my friend will like it but I won't make this pattern again.