Anna Allen Helene: the Shrimp Shorts

 I think I actually said at some point that I would never sew jean shorts. 

First because there are so many in the secondhand shops, and I already have a few pairs that fulfill all my shorts desires.  And also because why make shorts when you can make jeans??  But that all was before I moved to Auckland and its sad sad lack of seasons.  It's shorts here from October to April and you know, fashion changes. So while making my amazing jacket from linen denim a few weeks ago I knew right away that I absolutely needed shorts in the same fabric, and they needed to be high waisted because of all my cropped tops that have accrued to go with high waisted pants.  The falling-off-my-hips shorts are good for some looks, but I'm no fan of showing my belly in public. 

Helene jeans it was!  My star jeans were a size 6 and that's the fit I wanted, I thought I would be randomly cropping them but while unfurling the pattern pieces I discovered with delight that there's another cut to this pattern - a relaxed wide-leg, and I had not used it yet - and that's the version with cut lines for shorts.  Perfect!  

I also had a realisation that I have INDEED identified the perfect crotch fit for myself - and used it on my Dawn jeans.  So I pulled those out and I readjusted the front crotch to match the Dawn crotch.  Wow it was a bit adjustment, basically went from a convex C to a flat J.  The rise adjustment was as usual: 1.5" out.  No other changes.  

So I welcome to you: the Shrimp jeans!  I know I could call them Flamingo jeans but nope, they are Shrimp jeans.  I topstitched the back pocket in pink in honour of my theme, though I regret that a bit, I think I prefer the topstitching to be kind of no colour or in my head they don't match some clothing.  

 

Topstitching was the same Mara 70 used for the jacket.  Used my mini rivets that I've gotten recently for my Kam press. 

Could complain about the zipper situation.  Anna Allen doesn't like zip flies, but the instructions for the Persephone (which I think you have to buy separately) are totally fine.  These instructions really irritated me, because after following them closely I had about 2 cm at the bottom of the fly facing and could have placed the zip much lower, which would have made it FIT and I wouldn't have had to remove zip teeth.  I also noticed while taking the photos how the top of the zip pulls outward, a situation that was particularly dire with my first Helenes when the zip was short.  I don't know if that's because of how I install the waistband or if it's something to do with the pattern, or with the zip instructions.  I didn't really notice it while wearing these. 

Aside from the zip situation, they were an uneventful make.  I removed a few zipper teeth with pliers and I did bend a few needles but anyway it's probably good to clear out a few old needles every now and then.  I never think to throw them away til they either break or destroy my fabric.  

I have been wearing them and they are awesome!  I was surprised to see that they are indeed a very relaxed fit, the bum is pretty loose in comparison to the 2 other Helene variations.  While I think it's really good for shorts, it was a suprise as you kind of lose the epic butt fit of the other Helenes.  On the other hand smart - because loose trousers are absolutely back in style.  I'm planning to make some Just my Luck jeans and have sourced - get this - Pale Denim for them! (such a score in New Zealand, a rare find) but not sure when I'll get around to it.  

Tessuti patterns Sadie slip dress

This pattern has been on my to-do list for so many years it's embarrassing. 
I've had time to basically internalise details from other people's makes from 10 years ago when they were blogging!  I also had time to lose the instructions.  Oops.  Luckily I was able to get a copy of the instructions from a sewing friend. 

I made the smallest size and I did add the darts, but the dress is pretty loose and I don't think the darts have affected it much. 

After planning many theoretical versions of this I went with the safest method - a leftover scrap of viscose.  It's black with cute starships on it.  Not the easiest to work with, it's a bit shifty, but has good texture and weight.  This was the leftover piece after making a skirt so I just made the dress as long as the fabric allowed.  I knew that full length would be too long for me. I also knew that I would hate the facings, but I did them anyway.  I was not able to actually cut straight enough pieces to do anything like rouleaux straps, or straps I could pull a safety pin through, so I just folded a long strip in 4 and sewed it down.  I don't think this is as nice, as straps go, and was a bit low effort on my part.  Optimally I should have interfaced some of the fabric and then cut straps from it.  But I wasn't trying too hard. 

 

 

This was an easy sew.  I did my best to tack the facings down anywhere I could, I also cut the facing a bit smaller, and they still peek out somewhat.  I do still hate them.  The front of the dress is also very low cut and only hides lower cut bras.  I'm holding out on whether I will wear this dress this summer, because my dream version was two layers of yellow silk (so no facings needed) but aside from that particular vision I don't think this has a very interesting shape or any other reason I would particularly reach for it.  I would prefer a slip dress that just has bias binding from the start.  In fact I'm not sure why I don't just stick with the Orchard slip dress which fit great and was very simple, as well as being a free pattern!  I do want something bias cut though, so I might try the Gibbons by Elbe textiles next.  

 

I love this fabric so kind of sad I don't really like the dress!  But it comes from The Fabric Shop in Otara so I might actually try to get more.   

Merchant and Mills Factotum bag: white leather

 I bought 2 skins of white lambskin from The Fabric Store so long ago it's embarrassing, with the plan for some kind of varsity jacket with leather sleeves.  It morphed through so many ideas because it is really beautiful stuff and I didn't want to mess it up.  But lately I'm just impatient with all these ideas and the years that have gone by and stash in general, and I'm really mowing through it.  The desire to buy new fabric is at a strange low.  Very weird. 

Anyway so I did see this bag in Miss Maude in person a year or so ago.  I wasn't sure I would think it was too small for my usual pursuits, but it is bigger than it looks - could hold a novel, water bottle, plus the usual junk.  And I thought if I pair such a beautiful leather with this bag, I need to use this amazing Tula Pink fabric as lining.  I had a piece of leather strap left from a different M & M pattern kit, and enough rivets too.  I bought a zipper to match since the length was important.  

 

The process was exceptionally painful.  Leather, it ends up, has grain.  It stretches.  A LOT, but in only certain directions.  And this smooth surfaced leather was hard to mark, for things like...pockets that have a pleat at the bottom.  Sewing the pockets onto the bag was truly torture, as they didn't line up, the leather stretched, things moved, etc.  The result is that the pockets are a bit lower than they should be, although I managed to get the pleated top over them.  I was really worried that I was going to run out of space between the pockets, but the overall look is symmetrical despite the drama.

Sewing the body had similar issues, with the leather stretching at some points and refusing to stretch at other points.  

 My final confusion was how the strap is meant to insert into the side bag.  This area ends up a bit open on my bag.  You can see in the photos that there is a gap behind the zip, and when the zip is closed there's a gap against the tab leading to the strap.  I would consider this area more durable if that were closed, but the instructions were confusing.  The side tabs are made of the leather, they are quite long, and they are not interfaced.  This is clearly the weakest part of the bag and will stretch too much to make me happy.  Speaking as a person who will forever carry around a bunch of books...I would make this out of a very tough webbing, preferably. 

I added an inside pocket because I like them.  That is just the usual seaming open with a zipper and adding a piece of fabric behind it.   

 Final result - this is a really cute bag that I will never use.  Thanks again to my friends who accept the things I make and even love them - it makes it possible for me to keep sewing whatever I want.  I would consider making this again by increasing the pattern pieces by, say 40% to make a larger bag, and then I would make it out of waxed cotton, which just seems so lovely for bags but not for jackets, and I would add hooks so it could have a short strap or a cross body strap.  

The other way I would consider using this is as a camera bag if the sides were made with thick padding!  I'm not saying I'll never come back to the pattern, but it does seem too niche for my liking. 

Elbe Textiles Weiland tank in rainbows

 I saw this tank top on enough people to know that I wanted to make it.  The graceful low back, the V.  It's a beautiful design.  Despite that I really didn't want the process of making it.  No idea why, but this was not a project I reached for with excitement, more like dread.  I tried to spice it up by allocating a beautiful scrap of rainbow fabric, but I still didn't love the process.  I made size B - as always high bust is a useless measure for me, but my bust at 33 is accurate.  I didn't make any modifications. It's quick and easy and the gentle V neck is really lovely looking.  I didn't pay a lot of attention to the pattern instructions for finishing the sleeve holes as I am quite confident with burrito methods.  I didn't have any issues except that I put the shelf bra elastic on backwards so it shows the ugly side towards my skin.  (I am always puzzled which way is the correct way.  It does look good like this.  Maybe it's correct.)

 

 

The fit is fine, but rather snug.  I tried it on with a bra and it looks too tight.  Without a bra it is much better, and I think that's kind of the expected fit.  Nonetheless I think I need to make this from a rib fabric (or size up.)  I have lots of rib fabrics that need to get used so yet again, that should be a win, but I will have to overcome the inertia of not really being in love with the process.  This particular top is going to someone just a bit smaller than I am.  I also struggle with crop tops because I have no torso length, so they can kind of overcompress my chest and then balloon out below. 

Thus, I don't entirely know what I think of the length, but in summer some tops with this crop length are great to wear with linen pants, so it should go well enough with a number of things in my wardrobe as long as I choose the right colours and a more forgiving rib.  I'm thinking a bit more lately about sewing specifically to fit gaps in my wardrobe, and I do think a few more attempts at this would be worthwhile. 

Les Lubies de Cadia Cosmique Jacket

  

What a pattern company name!  I discovered this company thanks to Me Made May.  I immediately fell in love with 3 jacket patterns and couldn't decide where to start.  So many exciting pockets!  I don't have a hankering after any of this designer's other patterns but oh, these jackets...

I finally chose Cosmique and only bought one to start so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.  

Then I had to decide on the fabric, I had a number of contenders, some pink twill...grey denim long hoarded...corduroy...but I recently bought a number of exciting denim blends from Miss Maude, and the most precious of the lot was 2m of linen denim.  It is clearly unique - has a cool and crispy feel like linen, and is shifty as well.  Drapes very differently to a normal cotton denim.  When I unfurled it after washing I knew this fabric had to be a jacket.  I also knew if I waited too long it would turn into one of those stash fabrics I'm afraid to touch.  So I u-turned away from the corduroy and went with denim.  

Sized down to 34 

No pattern mods 

But suddenly I'm making a denim jacket, replete with topstitching I had not bargained for. This turned into a full week project.  I used Guterman Mara topstitching thread in off white. It is a lighter topstitching thread than standard and is easier to work with - my machine will backstitch with it.

I found that the pieces came together very nicely but that the instructions didn't provide details that could improve the final garment.  I used a lot of instincts from jeansmaking.  The first big hitch was when the instructions say to double topstitch the horizontal line created by the pocket piece.  This is impossible if you are genuinely stitching down the seam (since you aren't going to sew the pocket shut). A decorative double topstitch could be done by flipping the pocket out of the way, but then the point of the stitching (to strengthen a seam) would be lost.  I mulled this over for a day then decided to stitch up to the pockets and put rivets at that spot for support and to cover the end of the stitching.  I was sad how much of the pocket depth is lost by the hem.  I would preferentially shorten the jacket an inch above the pockets and put that inch at the bottom, so the pockets would be deeper.  They also are a bit far back - they are only the back half of the bottom piece.  It's not too bad when wearing the jacket but my instincts would like them a bit further forward. 

 

The funny cut out notch at the top of the placket was puzzling when I was reading the instructions, but easy to do and made it much easier to put on the collar.  I LOVED the tower placket for the sleeves.  But I sewed on the sleeve cuffs and the placket as though I were doing jeans - I folded the back side under and topstitched.  I did this on the collar as well, accepting that there would be stitching in the ditch that shows on the back of the neck when the collar is up - it is faint as my thread is a good match, and also thread sinks into this fabric.  Even the top stitching is relatively subtle.  I also cut the undercollar a tiny bit smaller, and I sewed the collars together from the middle out, which helps it to sit better.

I mulled over my closure plan, but truthfully there was no choice.  I have a great snap setter and horrible buttonhole makers.  I had no problems setting all my snaps - youtube provides amazing straightforward videos for each option the Kam snap press has.  I also have new adorable mini rivets and I used those for the pocket support.  Once I finished them and put the jacket on I realised that I had done the snaps backwards...but actually I don't mind for once.  

I spent a lot of time on each step of this project (days!) thinking through the instructions and my goals, and it shows.  I LOVE this jacket.  I think the instructions are threadbare, but I was very happy with the drafting itself.  I look forward to my second jacket pattern by this company (and I already know which deep stashed fabric I'm using...exciting!) 

While making the Cosmique I realised I absolutely must have a pair of high waisted summer shorts out of this fabric, as I have a heap of cropped tops and nothing to wear them with - luckily my leftovers were easily enough for shorts, and my machines were already threaded with all the right threads...so I had no excuse but to move onto that right away.