Papercut Meissa in seafoam green hemp

I loved this pattern when I saw it.  I have been holding off making button up shirts.  I don't wear them much.  Fitted ones always bulge at the bust and don't fit on the shoulders.  Loose ones don't interest me as much.  But I knew I would eventually give it a try.  I was not too interested in the Archer to start because it seems so shapeless, but I was considering the Named Tyler because of the raglan sleeves.  Sunni's version was very interesting, and Scruffy badger has since also made a nice one.  But anyway this trumped all that, I really liked the gathered details.

I found a lovely hemp blend fabric at Nancy's Sewing Basket back in February.  I forget what else is in the blend though - cotton or silk.  It is matte and rough on the inside with a smooth shiny outside face, in a pale seafoam green.  I have been really nervous about things like collarstands and I didn't want to rush the project so I put it away.  Then of course it was Me-Made-May, and this would have been a great addition to my wardrobe.  I cut it in May, hoping to have it done before I left for Arizona.

I cut the XS without any changes.  I'm 34.5-27-37 and this size in Papercut has consistently fit me perfectly in wovens.  I was very surprised how difficult it was to cut.  Initially I thought it was the paper (which yes I know I shouldn't be cutting through) or my scissors, but no.  It was the hemp fabric, which is so rough that it didn't slide along as I cut it, and sheared away from the scissors when I cut across the grain of the fibers.  It's got a nice drape, and irons well and I expected it to sew nicely though.  Because I wasn't sure what was in the blend I ironed it cautiously at first but ended up at the cotton-linen setting.  (hot!)  I was wrong about it being easy - the gathers were stubborn and ended up difficult to place evenly, due to the weight and thickness of the fabric.  It ironed great, but sometimes was hard to pin because the layers slipped against each other (especially around the collar.)  This pattern would work better with something drapey, in order to get smooth gathers and take advantage of the way it hangs.

Although I like this pattern, and I found the collarstand completely straightforward, I dislike how she has you finish the cuffs and the collar.  You are instructed to fold a 1cm allowance on the outside, sew everything together, and then flip the collar or cuff over and tuck all seam allowances into that folded side and topstitch.  The problem that I find with this is that you are tucking a huge number of small seam allowance pieces into a corner that does not overlap enough to do this smoothly.  It's a favourite Papercut technique and one that always leaves me with ragged edges.  I will eventually try the Archer and maybe come up with an opinion on how to best finish these edges when I have seen how other shirts are put together.

I was nervous about this project and after I got back from Arizona it sat for quite awhile as I gathered my confidence.  Finally I got irritated about having things sitting around!  I got very frustrated mid-July with these difficult seeming projects waiting for things outside of my control, like zippers...this summer I've been trying out a sewing system that I think is unwise.  I cut out multiple projects when I was sort of busy and distracted.  I knew I didn't have the attention to sew, but I could cut!  However then I start these projects a bit haphazardly and get frustrated not to see quick results.  I had to really slow back down and back away when I worked on my Belladone as I wanted it to really be amazing, and when I finished it I started to feel back on track.  It can be tempting to cut out a lot but I think I get stressed and feel like I'm not getting things done if I can't sew the projects right away.  A bit of deja vu - I'm moving in a week and have so much to finish before then.

Papercut La Sylphide Dress in raw silk

This is one of the projects that came all the way from New Zealand.  I cut out the XS before I left, with no changes to the pattern.  Since returning from Switzerland I've been on a sewing bender.  I have to say that I miss the peace of sewing the Georgia and taking a month to do it.  On one hand I really want to get all these languishing projects completed, but on the other hand, I don't have a burning desire to own all these dresses...I am starting to appreciate taking more time with each project, instead of rushing through them, as well as actually picking projects that I really want to wear for a specific purpose.  That has definitely been my goal and my mindset for this year.

Unfortunately, a lot of projects from New Zealand have come with me and they predate my new mindset.  So I still want to get them done, preferably now now now!  (Not known for having patience.)  It seems best to finish them and learn from them before I move on to some more difficult, and slower, challenges. 

I liked the fit of the La Sylphide shirt, but I hated the bow.  So I cut it off.  I wasn't sure how that would work for a neckline.  The raw silk that I got is from a seller on etsy and is hand-dyed with organic materials.  This does mean that there is some colour variation and that ironing it can leach the colour a bit.  It is amazing to work with - it irons easily, behaves exactly as you want, and has a lovely drape.  In fact as I came around to that neckline...I thought that bow might have been less annoying in this fabric.  Oops. 

I paid extra care to the little space between the top of the placket and the neckpiece, and manage to get everything topstitched without a gap - I had a lot of trouble with that gap in the first version and I know other people did too and just camoflaged it with the bow.  This time around I also finished all my seams by zig-zagging the seam allowance together.  For some reason I hadn't thought to do that in the past except on knits, and it created a great finish.  I french seamed the skirt and the shoulders, but the silk is really too thick for that to work anywhere else. The buttonholes were a bit of stress as the last time I tried to buttonhole on the Necchi it created a thread-birdsnest. I practiced a bit first and they actually went really smoothly.  Unfortunately I ignored the button placement instructions and I think that mine don't look well placed- I left irregular spaces and I think I'll put a tiny snap at the widest part of the bust to make sure it stays together.  I'm not too concerned about that though, I'm happy with how this came out. 

I knew the fit was spot on from making the shirt, and in the end this has turned out a really fabulous dress! 

Papercut La Sylphide shirt

Oh, I wasn't sure about this.  But I had just discovered Papercut and wanted to support a local company.  I got the fabric as a remnant, and buttons came for free with another purchase.  I wanted to check that the fabric was enough, so I cut it out while I was sick in between other things (in August!!!) and then let it sit for awhile...and longer...and longer.  Just no true inspiration to learn how to buttonhole quite yet.

Then I got buttonholes figured out and I got tired of seeing something sit around, so it seemed time to get on with it!  Also after making a few undercover hoods, I am more used to the Papercut method of explaining, and now having seen it elsewhere I'm not so puzzled by sewing the underarm/side seams all in one go (which rather mystified me back in August, really!)  The sewalong also kicked me into gear!  I have a dress version planned, but wasn't sure I would like the style enough to also make a dress of it.

Sorry for my washed out and headless photos...the self timer and I are still not friends.  This was about as good as it gets.

Even up to the last minute I wasn't that excited, must say.  It's a style of shirt (ie button-up) that never fits me well, and frilly bits like bows irritate the hell out of me.  But it's looked good, and not irritating, on other people.  And it was my first Papercut pattern, to which I'm growing an undying loyalty.  Also I already have the fabric ready for my upcoming Saiph tunic so it was a sort of bribe to get this one done with.

I cut an XS.  As always going from Lauren at lladybird, I sized up one size from her to fit my square 34.5-27 measurements.  The instructions were super clear, my cotton-with-lycra was so easy to sew, and this came together almost magically in 2 stints at the sewing machine.  The curious bits were - figuring out how to sew the sleeves on, but after just doing what the instructions said, it was obvious - and the same with the neck tie.  It seemed totally weird, but once I just did what the instructions said, it was completely obvious.  I didn't finish the inside much since it wasn't shedding, and I continued to feel like this was a sort of complete muslin.  As lladybird also mentions, the use of interfacing to make the sleeves and the placket is really nice and easily lends itself to a clean finish.  The only place I couldn't finish cleanly was the annoying crotch between the top of the placket and the bottom of the neck tie.  There is a tiny no-man's-land that I didn't get sewn into anything. It's invisible when worn, but I guess a very very close attention to detail when sewing the neck tie might get rid of it - you have to sew absolutely up to the placket but without sewing over it.

In the end I adore the fit -it's great on my wide shoulders and skims comfortably down from there without any gapping at the bust.  The darts are perfectly placed.  I still quite hate the ties and feel really stupid when I'm wearing it because of them.  I'm not sure what to think of the peplum but it does seem to look good.  The sleeves hit awkwardly at my elbow - I'd prefer either 3" longer or 3" shorter!  I will definitely do my dress, but I also have visions of a longer shirt style without the peplum, and maybe just ending the neckline and not having long ties...I can see a lot of pattern modifications in this pattern's future.  And it was super fun to make!

aimecommemarie - Marche a suivre pants

I'm on a roll, even though it's a tracing-pattern roll, and I hate that nearly as much as I hate facings.
Which reminds me that since I didn't trace *one piece* of my Anna, I might have to buy another copy.  Also annoying.

So, I'm on an aimecommemarie roll!  And now that it's finally getting warmer, I totally needed some bee-print lounge pants.  Even though it meant I had to learn how to buttonhole.  And then I didn't need the buttonholes.  But it was fun to make them and now I'm less scared of the Papercut Sylphide that I have lounging on my list. 

This pattern was straightforward until it got to the waistband.  I cut a size M based on the measurements, and the only additional thing I did was sew the pockets down.  They were going to flop all over the place otherwise.  But when I got to the waistband piece, it's about half as wide as necessary.  (I also didn't read to cut it on the fold so I had two, but that didn't cause any problems.)  You are advised to have a 1 cm piece of elastic but after folding the waistband in half and sewing it down, the waist is only 1 cm wide.  In theory there should be a strip of elastic in there along with a grosgrain ribbon.  Another comment is that the ribbon length that aimecommemarie suggests is not at alllll long enough, I couldn't have tied it in a bow once it was installed.  I tried just having the drawstring but I couldn't get the pants over my hips, so I went with just the elastic (which I had to shorten an additional 8 cm, and I used a 1/4" elastic instead of 1 cm).  No need for my pretty buttonholes!

Sorry my pictures kind of suck.  Getting used to the self timer is a bitch.  And there is no good place near the house to set the camera...

Anyway these are to be summer lounge pants and they will do for that.  They are not really flattering on me.  But if I made this pattern again I would definitely double the width of the waistband so it comes up higher and fits a bigger piece of elastic and the ribbon.  With some kind of rayon these might turn out quite exotic, actually.

I love the way aimecommemarie presents her patterns - they are on a sheet of solid paper, and look hand drawn.  (Although pieces overlap and you have to trace them.)  The instructions have great diagrams.  Sometimes, however, they are short on little details that beginning sewists need.  And of course it would be nice if they were available in English instead of just French.  I wrote a list of keywords and didn't have any trouble with the French, but if the patterns were more complex it would be a pain.