I do sew occasionally, but other than a fabulous pair of pants (I took a one day class where the lady fitted a pants muslin for us) I haven’t sewn any clothes for myself since the Jalie top last August. However, I’ve made some kickarse cushions and sewed an awning for a friend’s camper, which was definitely testing the old 306k’s endurance.

I’m planning for all that to change though. I’m expecting a baby any day now! I can’t wait to sew her cute little dresses and fitted nappies. And hopefully before she makes her appearance in the next week or so I’ll also get a chance to sew myself a Jalie top or two so that I’ll have some breastfeeding friendly clothes that *don’t* show my entire chest…

Which is why today is such a monumental day. I completed a Jalie Sweetheart top, and wore it in public. It’s not perfect, but I knew it was good enough when I wore it in front of my Mother and she said “That’s a nice top, where did you buy it?”. When I told her I made it she was very impressed. Mum doesn’t beat around the bush and *never* lies to me when it comes to clothing.

Here are the details:

Pattern: Jalie Sweetheart Top, Size CC

Fabric: Wool Jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics

Construction
I traced the pattern directly onto the fabric using my new clover tracing tool and some carbon paper that my friend purchased for me. I was very impressed with this method and will definitely use it in the future, however in the future I will do it in two steps (trace to paper and then trace the paper onto the fabric) as when I ran the tracing tool over the pattern with two thicknesses of fabric underneath, I essentially perforated all the lines. I will be purchasing some professional quality tracing paper from Greenberg and Hammer to replace the 4 A4 sheets I have taped together right now.

I constructed the top on my overlocker and my Featherweight. Jalie only provides instructions for a regular sewing machine (I guess they assume those of us with overlockers should know what they’re doing). I followed Jalie’s construction order except I switched the last two steps (sewed the hems before stitching the side seams). That was a mistake and I wont do it again.

I had trouble attaching the yokes. I overlocked the neck band to the yoke piece and then when I went to attach the front I couldn’t just overlock it again. The fabric doesn’t fray so I just attached it with a straight stitch. But next time I’ll see if I can find a better way to do it (perhaps machine baste the band in place and then overlock the whole thing when I attack the front).

I’m not 100% sure on attaching the bands… I did it as per their instructions for regular machines – folded the band in half, placed it right sides together with the pattern piece and then overlocked the whole thing. I wonder if there’s a better way to do that.

The only other construction thing to do different next time is to increase the gathers at center front… it’s only marginally gathered right now.

Sizing
Overall it fits well enough – as good as RTW, so I’m happy. But as far as I can tell it’s too big through the shoulders and back, and too small through the bust. The yokes have lots of wrinkles and the armscye sits away from the body. The back just feels too big overall (I should probably point out that my jeans give me a muffin top, so that affects the pictures above). It’s also a bit low cut – it’s fine for evening, but I tend to be quite lazy with my posture and people would definitely get an eyeful at work.

What I think i’ll do next time is to make a size BB, blending back out to a CC at the hips, and do a FBA on the front pattern piece, rotating the dart to be part of the gathers where it attaches to the yoke. I’ll also raise the neckline a little. I’ll leave the sleeves at a size CC, and perhaps make them a smidge bigger again (the sleeves are tight in the current version, but certainly no worse than most RTW tops I own). I’m a little unsure as to fitting the larger sleeve cap into the smaller armhole, but I figure I’ll deal with that when I come to it. I might also shorten the sleeves to just below elbow length.

I can’t wait to start on the next iteration!

It’s an arbitrary number, but it’s the arbitrary number that we picked to start trying for a family. My husband and I have been together for more than 8 years now, it’s time to shift our focus towards a family and I feel more than ready for it.

I’m reassessing my goals and thinking about the sort of life I want for my children. I feel an overwhelming desire to simplify and live a slower life. I’m making my changes, slowly. I have planted a tiny little veggie patch – not enough to supply our house, but enough for proof of concept as I am a notorious plant killer. So far I am cautiously labeling it a success.

I’ve been sewing a little as well. Never a finished article (of course) but I’ve been working on getting a fitting pants pattern. I’m getting closer all the time and I know one day this will remove a lot of stress for my life (finding RTW pants to fit me is a nightmare).

I’m not sure where this will take me, but I just felt the need to write it down.

The fabric is from Gorgeous Fabrics and as soon as it arrived tonight I knew exactly how it should look:

It’s obviously not quite as transparent without the flash And that ribbon needs to be swapped with one the right colour.

There’s a few things I’m not sure of yet… namely whether I should do little flutter sleeves or real sleeves using the border. I’m a fairly large girl, so the sleeves are kind of necessary.

Also I don’t know if I should be making the underdress with a bias cut skirt or regular one. I guess it probably doesn’t matter that much.

I have something to finish before I can return to sewing. Almost 3 years ago I started a cross stitched nativity scene for my mother. It was important to me to give it to her for Christmas last year, and I spent a good portion of my honeymoon in December stitching! But when I gave it to her it wasn’t quite finished and I took it back, promising to have it back to her in time to hang it up on the 1st of December this year…. and then I proceeded to procrastinate until a few weeks ago.

All of a sudden the sewing world is alive with the announcement of the new SWAP rules. With the new format there’s really no excuse for me not to participate. I’m dying to let myself get caught up in the excitement – perhaps this will give me the focus I need to actually finish a garment for once! But I refuse to allow myself to think about it until the cross stitch is done – hopefully before November starts!

I first saw Pointy Kitty at Because I Said Sew and was instantly in love. I spent an unhealthy amount of time staring at that post.

I asked Brooke about it, and she sent me a link to the pattern. I knew it would make a perfect present for my friend Jo.

Fast forward to a week ago, and I hadn’t started. I had already purchased pink polka dot at Spotlight, so I was able to get the head and body sewn up and stuffed.

My troubles began on Friday when I headed out to get the rest of the materials. In my defense, my mind wasn’t 100% on the job – I had brought The Bride with me to look for her elusive black brocade and the shop in question is staffed by harmless but…. erm… overly friendly men.

To cut a long story short, I somehow spent $40 on materials for the carrier, forgot the felt for the nose and bought stick on googly eyes instead of sew on, all while fending off questions about my marital status and dodging creepy shoulder touching! Then the following day when I went to Spotlight, I got back to the car and realised I had bought stick on googly eyes again! I’m not sure where my head is at.

Anyway, the end result was worth the comedy of errors, and Jo loves her kitty who she has named Ali-Cat. (If she’s lucky, she’ll get the matching carrier for Christmas…)

As is always the way, I was held up at work and got to Textile Traders literally two minutes before closing on Friday afternoon. Fortunately I had called ahead and the lovely ladies had the pattern out and waiting for me.

I was looking at modifying View A and turning it into a plain, V-neck top. Reading through the reviews at pattern review, I found that this top has 4″ of ease through the front, but less through the back. My measurements are very close to a size 20 on the pattern envelope, but I have a DD cup bust, so I’ve suspected for a while that I need to use a smaller pattern in the back. Because of all that ease, I decided to trace an 18 and make a muslin.

 To make the front piece, I traced to the center front line on the wrap pattern piece and then flipped it over to make a plain V-Neck front. While tracing the pattern pieces, a friend came to visit and we spoke about procrastination and perfectionism. I believe I procrastinate on my sewing (and other areas of my life) because I’m a perfectionist. It’s easier not to try than it is to try and fail.

I completed my muslin, using every scrap of cheapo knit I had left (I had wanted to buy more on Friday but there was no time). It was too small! Not miles too small, but smaller than I would like to wear. Looks pretty good on my dress form though:

;

The fitting problems are more evident on my dress form than they are on me as the lack of ease stretches out the wrinkles! (It would seem I am “fluffier” right now than I was when I set up my dress form. Time to do some exercise….) It probably needs an FBA. You can see the little fold at the armhole that doesn’t have the sleeve, and the diagonal lines pointing above and below the bust.

After much deliberation, I think I have pretty much decided to make it up in straight size 20, FBA be damned! Right now I want the satisfaction of a completed garment, not more learning opportunities. Assuming going up one size doesn’t exaggerate the fitting problems, it’s definitely not in any worse shape than most of my RTW tops and I have five metres of that wool jersey, so it’s not like I’m risking irreplaceable fabric.

I’m very sure that in time this will become my first TNT pattern. But I don’t have to get it right on the first iteration. Right?!

Oh Happy Day!!!

I chose my victim – a beautiful wool jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics. I bought 5 metres during my adventures in draping, intending to make a dress. But a top would be a better beginner’s project, and would get more wear.

Now if only I could find a pattern!? I have a couple of BWOF candidates (both wrap tops), but I’m trying for foolproof here, so I’d really like something with better instructions. I know that in my travels I’ve seen a pattern that has been described as the “workhorse” of knit tops. It was basic tops with neckline and sleeve variations. I usually make a note of these patterns, but apparently not this time. What I’d really like to make is a plain v-neck top with 3/4 sleeves. Perhaps with a tiny little vertical gather in the neckline. If one of the handful of people reading this knows the pattern I’m referring to, please shout out! I was sure it was a New Look, but I’ve had no luck there.

I’ve suddenly realised that the Empire Rose fabric sale is next Friday. I wonder if it would be cheeky to still take this Friday off work AND to turn up late to work next Friday after the fabric sale?!

I hemmed and hawwed for a few minutes, and then opened my computer to see this email from some shopping spam list that I’ve been meaning to unsubscribe from for ages:

Fremantle – Empire Rose Fabric Clearance Sale

Hurry in for Designer prints and top quality fabrics not normally accessible to the general public.
All fabric 60% – 80% less than normal retail prices.

Ladies dress fabrics from $2 per meter including:
-Short and bulk lengths available for designers, dressmakers & students.
-Finest silk dupion & taffeta from $8 per meter, normal price $35 per meter.
-100% Silk GGT & chiffon from $5/m – normal price $22 per meter.
-Fine Silk & Cotton Mesh / Tulle from $5/m – normal price $22 per meter.
-Cool summer 100% cotton gauze from $2.50/m – normal price $13 per meter.

Wooden skirt hangers also for sale – $1 each.

WHEN: Friday 8th – Sunday 10th August, 2008
WHERE: Fremantle

WOOOOHOOOOOO! Pity I’ve already spent this fortnight’s allowance on the (now missing) boho fabric. Time to go smile sweetly at the husband, methinks….

In other news, I haven’t set foot in the sewing room this month, other than to use it as a dumping ground. I traced off my burda pants and then got intimidated. I’m still a beginner when it comes to fitting things, and while the time I spend making muslins is certainly not wasted, it would be nice to make something I can actually wear for once. I’m pretty fussy about how things fit, and I have a difficult figure to fit. Which is why my wardrobe is dismally empty – it consists mainly of a single pair of jeans and a stack of bonds shirts. Other than costumes, the last time I made something that actually made it into my wardrobe was a bustle skirt made from a rectangle of fabric and that was probably 5 years ago! I must be the only sewing blogger who DOESN’T ACTUALLY SEW!

Perhaps this situation can be rectified on Friday, after I get home from the fabric sale!