The Power of the Toile

Hello! I'm still finishing off February's project (just a little more handsewing of the hem to go), but I started working on March's project during all the zipper foot ridiculousness.

Here's what's happening for March:

I'm still not certain about how to pick the right size for tops. Straight up bust measurement puts me at an 18, but that's an 18 with a B cup, which I'm definitely not. So I need a full bust adjustment (FBA). But! I've read some things that say if you're going to do a FBA, you should start with your upper bust measurement, which puts me at a 16. Confusing, I tell you.

The bust part of this is gathered, not fitted, and the bottom is loose, so I thought I might be able to get away with a straight 18 and no FBA . But something like this definitely calls for a toile.

Look - it's a muslin in actual muslin! Which, by the way, was not as cheap as I would have thought. I think when this runs out I'm going to pick up some secondhand sheets or something.

Perfect fit, right? Heh.

Here's what happens when the band is where it's supposed to be. Classy. I always have this problem in RTW clothes in this style - either the underbust seam is in the wrong place, or it's cleavage central. Also, you can't really see it, but the shoulder seam is pulled about 2 inches forward.

But at least now the hem is even, not raised in the front like it was.

So, the obvious - not nearly enough room in the bust. Which I knew was going to happen. I'd originally planned to raise the upper bust line by a couple of inches when I cut out the muslin, but I forgot. And it's gaping around the armpit (although there's a bit of a seam allowance which won't be there. and I think I'm planning on doing one of the sleeves). Plus the bottom is too tight, and stops at exactly the widest part of my hips.

So new plan: cut the top in a 16 (which I think will also take care of how it's pulling so far to the back when I tie it, creating those lines around the waist), grading to a 20 in the bottom. Add 2 1/2" to the bottom of the front piece, curving down from the regular height on the sides (which fits fine - I just need the extra in the front). And cut the longer length; then I can hem it wherever it looks okay. I'm also rethinking the sleeve - I was originally going to do the little puffed sleeves in the main picture, but they'd probably not be super flattering on me. So maybe one of the fluttery sleeves? I'll have to check how much drape my fabric has.

In any case, all of this means I have to start again - retrace the pattern pieces (but now I've learned the benefit of tracing! If I'd cut the tissue pieces to the 18, I would have had to recreate the size 20 for the bottom this time around), cut them out, cut my fabric, sew it up. But it's all good. If I'd sewn this without a muslin, it would have been a waste of fabric - a complete wadder. And maybe it'll be faster this time around because I've sewn it once?

I'll be back soon with my completed February project! And probably with a vote - the skirt is super cute, but I can't decide if it's cute on me. STAY TUNED.

February update

Well, I didn't get my February project done on time. One month this year I will, I promise! I blame February for ending on a Thursday - I need that last weekend.

Although actually what slowed me down was the zipper foot I needed for the invisible zipper. I thought the machine came with one, so I didn't think about it until I sat down to sew the zipper in. Sadly, no zipper. So eventually I found somewhere to buy one...and promptly lost in on the way home. In my defense, they're tiny!

I did buy another one. So annoying. Even more annoying when I tried to use it this weekend and it didn't fit on my machine. AUGH. I faked it with a regular zipper foot, but the results weren't spectacular.

Not exactly invisible! Also there's that bump at the bottom, but I'm pretty sure I know how to make that not happen next time. I'm going to attempt to find the correct foot for future projects.

Onward! There are technically only 2 steps left, but, as always, tons of tiny steps contained within those.

When is a pattern not a pattern?

I've hit a small bump in February's project: I just discovered that I don't have an invisible zipper foot. Not that I mind getting one - I'm sure I'll use it lots, especially since it seems to be the preferred zipper for Colette and Sewaholic patterns - but I'm not totally sure where to buy one. I'll have to look into that this weekend - this is my last weekend to get this skirt done and keep on track!

Meanwhile, a peek at what I've done so far.

In my sewing classes, and what I remember from watching my mom sew, cutting a pattern is pretty simple. You pin the pattern to the fabric, and then cut it out with scissors. Which is what I did for my first few projects. But then I started reading (there it is again, reading above my level), and there was a lot of "no! don't cut the TISSUE! what if you want to make a different size? and think of the future!" Instead there was talk of pattern weights, and rotary cutters, and tracing, and templates. Too much.

But, I thought, if all the cool kids are doing it, I should see what it's all about. So I bought some "pattern weights" (washers, because there's a Home Depot right near me) and some posterboard (because there's a Staples right near me) and got to tracing.

The tracing was easy, if time consuming. I simply put the tissue pattern on the posterboard, held it in place with the washers, and drew over my size with a thin felt, which bled through to the posterboard. As a bonus, I didn't have to do this part on the floor! Score.

See the pink line?

And here it is after the tissue is gone

Then once I'd traced out all the patterns and copied all the markings, I cut out the posterboard and ended up with a bunch of templates.

Sadly, then I had to get back down on the floor, to lay out my fabric and the pattern pieces.

Look Ma, no pins! This part makes me really happy - I always find it kind of painful, getting the pins in. I have delicate princess hands, clearly. And an amazing ability to instinctively avoid using whichever finger has the thimble. It's uncanny.

Finally, I traced my template pattern pieces with tailor's chalk, and cut the fabric. It occured to me after that if I were very careful, I might be able to moved the chalked fabric onto the table to cut it out. My knees would certainly thank me for that.

So, was it worth it? I guess that depends on whether I end up liking the pattern. If I do, I've got this great, sturdy set of pattern pieces that can be used over and over again. The tissue patterns are definitely not long-lasting - I've used the men's shirt pattern twice and it's looking a little ragged. But it's a process and it takes time away from actually sewing, which is the part I like. So I guess we'll see!

Dress Me Up

I made a dress! Although I suppose the more exciting part is that I FINISHED a dress.

The bad news is that I didn't meet my January goal of finishing up my two UFOs (the shirt and the dress). But I was only 2 days late, so that basically counts, right? Good enough!

I'm pretty happy with it. It's fully lined, which was the reason I picked this pattern from the list for the course (actually the pattern had only the top lined, but I added a lining to the skirt) - that was a trick I wanted to learn. And the fabric was a fabulous gift from my friend K in England. It is, however, very definitely not perfect.

 This is a perfect gathered sleeve.

This...is not. It's so flat!

Whoops - my seams don't match up. Yikes.

And the pattern really doesn't match up. Look at those circles! In my defense I had barely enough fabric for the pattern. I actually had to shorten it quite a bit in order to fit all the pieces onto the fabric, but I'm pretty short, so it worked out to be the right length.

The waist is too short in the front (my hand is at my natural waist). That's because I didn't do a proper full bust adjustment - I just faked it by cutting the top in the same size as the bottom (instead of 2 sizes smaller, which is my actual size minus the boobs), and pinning to fit. So of course the whole thing is hiked up in order to fit over the ladies.





Here's the thing, though: I don't care. I like the dress! Sure, it's not perfectly fit and gorgeously tailored, but it has awesome material and I will totally wear it. 

...when it's not winter.

Level up: Blouse

"Blouse" is not a word I ever used until I started sewing. Anything I wore on top was a shirt, no matter what it looked like or what it was made of. Blouses were giant poufy 80s things with huge bows (sidenote: those are back. I know.)

But in sewing, things are more specific. Shirts are tailored and button-down, blouses are...not. Highly technical language, I know. Anyway, "blouse" has come back into my vocabulary. And now into my wardrobe!

I did two new things with this project: made a blouse, and made a muslin/toile. A toile is basically an unfinished test version that you make in order to test the fit. I haven't bothered up until now because, 1) I'm so slow, and it's basically like making another half a thing, and 2) my waist and hip measurements fit into a standard pattern size, and I mostly made skirts. But since, as always, I read far in advance of my actual skill level, I was pretty paranoid about fitting on the top, what with being larger than a B-cup (which is pattern standard).

Enjoy my classy pjs and morning hair.

So I made the toile in a 14 (from an old bedsheet!) and tried it on. And then stared at it - I could tell it didn't fit properly, but I had no idea what the problem was. Toile fail. I thought at first it was too small across the bust, but eventually I decided it was too big everywhere else, which is why it was pulling. For the real thing I cut a 12 for the top and a 14 for the bottom (for the hips).

I do like the blouse - I wore it to work on Friday! But I think it might still be too big. When I make it again (which I will), I think I'll cut a 12 all around. And maybe shorten the back? If I can figure out how. In any case, I totally count this as a win.

2013 ahoy

Hello!

Another photoless post...because I completely forgot to take any photos of the shirt I made for my dad for Christmas.This may be because once again I was sewing on the buttons on Christmas Eve. Sigh. But the shirt turned out great, and he was happy again. Next year I'll do something for my mom.

But now, something for me. I have an objective for 2013: Become a faster sewer. By this I mean both actually sew faster (or at least pin faster, read patterns faster, fret less) and finish projects more quickly (meaning spend more time sewing). So my goal to make this happen is to try to complete one thing for me every month. If this happens, I'll have 12 new pieces of clothing at the end of 2013! And wouldn't that be awesome.

In the interests of completion, though, January's project is actually two UFO's - the shirt that just needs buttonholes and buttons, and the dress from my class, which needs a lot of handsewing. But starting February, I'm digging into the post where I matched fabrics with patterns, and making something new each month. Scout's honour.

Future projects

I'm very close to the end of the shirt that I've been making forever. Side note: it's very depressing to see that you only have 2 steps left in the instructions (woo!), only to realize that one is a ton of hand sewing, and the other is make buttonholes and sew on buttons. Sigh.

Anyway.

I'm very close to the end of the shirt, and not quite as close to the end of the dress that I'm making in class. Side note #2: this is taking me way longer than I expected. It's embarrassing to admit, but I thought I'd be faster than the rest of the class. Not that I'm a super fast sewer (I'm actually incredibly slow), but I have made a few things on my own, so I figured I'd just need a little help with the fitting and then I'd be off. Oh, the irony! I think I'm probably the farthest from finished in the class.

Anyway. Again.

I'm very close to the end of the shirt, and not quite as close to the end of the dress that I'm making in class. And I need to get started on the shirt I'm making for my dad for Christmas. But I can't help thinking of starting new projects. And despite my best intentions, I seem to have developed a stash, both patterns and fabric. So I decided to do a little matching, indulge my interest in starting something new, and plan my next couple of projects.

I'm not convinced that this is the best fabric for the shirt, being just a basic cotton, but I think the pattern would look so cute.

This is from the Colette Sewing Handbook - it's a sewing guide arranged around a series of patterns that increase in difficulty. This is the first one. The fabric is a fairly heavy cotton so that the scallops will hang properly. And it's purple, if you can't tell - purple is so hard to photograph well.

Is that not a ridiculously cute pattern and a ridiculously cute fabric? I bought it to make for a wedding this summer. If I start now, maybe I can finish it in time for next summer.

This is the other pattern I bought for the class. I would really like to learn to make trousers.

This is one of the first patterns I bought. I think it's time to use it. I might buy some other fabric to make the contrasting bottom band.

I've been putting this one off because fitting issues, but I still like it.

So, what do you think? Which one should I start first? And by first, I mean probably not until January.