Green Burda Skirt for a Suit

When I made my recent New Look 6159 green blazer, I always intended to make a matching skirt, inspired by Dior's spring 2022 show. So I got to work right away this year and tried on my new blazer with at least 5 different skirts from my closet to determine which skirt would be the most complementary to the jacket. I decided that this Burda 109-11-2019 was the best match for it, so quickly cut it out and started sewing.

I've made this pattern twice since October so felt quite comfortable sewing it up quickly. I repeated all the adjustments I made when I sewed up my last version, the checkerboard skirt that is still waiting for its matching jacket. The only difference is that I made this green version one inch shorter. I prefer it in this length so I've just created more work for myself - now I want to shorten the original checkerboard version too! 

I left off the D-Ring feature at the waistband that makes this skirt distinctive, but I felt that it would match with the jacket better without them. Again, the cut on pockets are amazing and I love the fit now that I've got the sizing adjusted. 

I happened to find a vintage invisible zip in my stash in "Jade", almost the exact colour of the skirt. And I finished off the waistband with an invisible skirt hook and eye rather than a button. It's very sleek and clean, and I like it that way. 

I used a remnant of plain cream lining rather than matching the polka dot lining of the jacket, just because the dot lining is a bit staticky and this leftover bemberg lining is not. It all seems to go together to my eye, and I'm very pleased with it! The fabric is prone to creasing though - you can tell in these pics which were taken after wearing the outfit for a few hours.

I'm working on a black blouse to wear under it, and already have my eye on some textured yellow cotton in my stash for another bright skirt suit. I'm afraid this is going to be addictive!

New Look 6159 in Dior Green

 

For most of December I was working on this green twill blazer, New Look 6159, for the #DesigningInDecember challenge (where you might still be able to vote for your favourites!). And also because it was on my sewing list as part of the Bold Playful Power Suit theme I created this fall.  This jacket was also inspired by the Dior Spring 22 show, all those bright skirt suits! 

I've never made a real blazer before so this was a learning experience. A real learning experience, as it turned into a bit of a comedy of errors with so many things going wrong right from the start. I got the pattern adjustments made and cut this out, then realized that I had somehow lost the second sheet of instructions for the pattern -- I have never lost anything from a pattern before. The instructions that I had stopped at the point where the lining was just starting to be constructed. Fortunately, I had this great book on linings in my stash, which gave me what I needed to get the lining in, alongside another book on tailoring that I'll talk about later on this month. 

I had a bit of difficulty getting the sleeves set in, which I normally don't have trouble with. I think that this fabric is a little sturdier and harder to smoothly gather, which added to the issue. I unpicked both sleeves at least three times before deciding that it was just good enough. When I got to the lining, which nobody will ever see, both sleeves set in perfectly the first time, smoothly gathered and with underarm and shoulder seams matched exactly. Sigh. I did shorten the sleeves slightly, since my arms are short, and I wanted this to remain 3/4 length. They are finished with a nice notched cuff which can be left down or folded up; it's a nice detail. 

This fabric resisted easy pressing as well, and I'm not 100% happy with the darts. They aren't terrible but could be better. The collar though, whew, that was tough! The point where the edges meet in that notch just wouldn't join easily. I unpicked both sides at least 3 times as well, and restitched carefully, turning it to see what it looked like. Finally, again I got to the 'good enough' stage, and just steamed the heck out of the collar at the end. It's actually the bit I'm most pleased with now. 

I chose a confetti print poly lining from my stash - a little more staticky than I like for a lining usually but I've had it a long time and couldn't resist the visual match. As noted that went together beautifully and sewed in with no issues at all. The pattern does include an ease pleat at the centre back so I didn't have to add one in.

It's actually quite a decent pattern; everything matched up as it should and I didn't have to do any extreme fitting. I did my usual length adjustments and then graded from 14 shoulder to 16 bust and 18 hip, quite common for me. The only unusual adjustment was that after shortening it above the bust and again above the waist, I added on 1.5" at the hem because I felt it was a little too cropped for my tastes. And I had to drop the dart points by 2" each. Also, when I tried the outer jacket on prior to adding lining, I thought that a 1/4" shoulder pad would improve the look of the fit, and it did. Good thing I had some in my stash ;) 

I finished it off with black buttons, inspired by Dior. That was another fun moment - I thrifted these perfect buttons and had carefully kept them on my table for this point in the process, and then couldn't find them when the buttonholes were to be put in. I was trying to finish this by deadline, and it was the afternoon of Dec 31 and there I was wasting time, turning everything over trying to figure out where the buttons could have got to. I finally uncovered them (under a stray pattern piece) and thankfully the buttonholes went in like a charm (I got to use my new buttonhole chisel!) and I stitched on these black buttons and still got to take pictures in the outdoor light. Yes, it was warm enough here on Dec. 31 that I could stand in the yard for these photos! 

I'm still planning on making a matching green skirt so that I can really knock off that Dior set. More on that later! For now, I'm relieved that I had the time to really work on this one and get it done despite all the problems I had with it. Hopefully next time I'll know a bit more and it won't take as long to make my next blazer :)

A La Brea Woven Tee

The PatternReview Sewing Bee just started, and the first round challenge was to make a tee inspired by your childhood. I have the La Brea tee by Halfmoon Atelier on my to-sew list, and with its 80s styling, I had a plan to make a tee in the colours of my 80's middle school teams. But it turned out to be a disaster -- the stretch was wrong and the stretch bias tape I tried to use for the distinctive lines of the La Brea did not work. Too much distortion and wonkiness. So I gave up on the contest.

But I still wanted to work on the La Brea! While View A of this pattern is for a knit tee with very distinctive bias neck and shoulder edges, View B is designed for a woven, with french seams and sleeve cuffs.

So I found a lovely piece of nubby green silk in my stash, just enough for this top, that I'd picked up at a garage sale two years ago. And I cut the La Brea in a size 7, grading to 9 at the hip. Her sizing is simply numerical, ranging from 1 - 18 which is equivalent to a 28 - 61 inch bust and 33 3/4 - 67 inch hip.

I loved working with this silk. It's gorgeous to handle, presses so well, and drapes like a dream. I'm not sure it is 100% my best colour, but I do really like it.

The french seams are a little fiddly considering that the seam allowances are 3/8" but otherwise this is a straightforward sew. After french seaming the sides and shoulders, you stitch on the sleeve band, hem it, and finish the neckline with a bias facing (my favourite finish).

I like the fit, and this goes great under a cardigan or jacket. When summer arrives I'm sure it'll look nice with a longer, button front full skirt too -- I'm seeing those everywhere and have a couple in mind to try out.

So while I ended up finishing the woven version of this pattern first, I'll be going back to another round of the knit version. I can't stop thinking about that lovely bias edge that was the reason I wanted to make this top in the first place!

Style Arc Adeline: A Real Green Tablecloth Dress

I did it! I finally made a StyleArc Adeline dress :) 

It was the perfect time for it: not only did I find this wonderful green linen at the thrift store, in its original form as a tablecloth, but I've also been rereading some Virginia Woolf this summer, and her given name (that she never used, but still) was Adeline. So I was inspired! Maybe in this dress I will go buy the flowers myself. 

This wasn't a terribly hard project, but there were some little things about it that I found challenging. I tried to figure out how much to shorten it: that was difficult with this pattern -- should I take anything up above the waist? At the shaped hem? What to do? In the end, I folded out 1/2" above the waist, then took almost 2" up in the back. I cut the pattern at the lengthen/shorten line on the back and slid it up 2" so as not to disturb the shape. But then I had to smooth out the front curve a bit to match the back once I'd sewn them together. I just did a bit of similar shaping on the facing and it all worked out in the end -- not as much fiddling as I'd expected, really. 

The only other iffy thing is that my pocket application is only so-so -- they aren't completely smooth so do bulge/wrinkle a bit. I should have lined them so they don't stick to the dress underneath. It is pretty tacky against itself. 

What do I love about this pattern? I'm very pleased with the pretty topstitching feature at the neck and hem (though I think a bit of a steam press would help with the little lumps and bumps here and there). 

It also gives me the chance to wear this Cuban made necklace which
 my sister brought home for me from her trip there

And I really like the sleeves. I was considering shortening them a bit when I cut this out but I'm glad I left it as is -- I like this length once the cuff is folded up. The hi-lo hem has been made very much less hi-lo, which I prefer, though there is still a bit of a curve to it. And I like how it narrows at the knee - I wasn't sure this silhouette would work for my figure, but I like it in a standing and posing position.

However, this is also one part I'm not 100% sure about. I have to shimmy into the dress, and the range of motion when walking is fine, as long as I'm not in a hurry and trying to stride. And sitting is a bit of an issue; when I sit I have to pull it up and bag it out a bit to fit it around my hips comfortably. So not something to wear if I'm on stage or somewhere that people are looking at me straight on while sitting!

But overall I am pleased with this dress and will wear it when it cools down a little, since I will most likely have to wear a slip as well when I wear it in everyday light and am not in the shade. It's just a bit see-through. 

Have you made an Adeline? What has been your experience with it? Or, have you ever upcycled a tablecloth into something you love wearing?

Jalie Yoko in Green Stripes

I downloaded the Jalie Yoko as soon as it was posted -- what a great shape! I have been looking for a boxy style top for a while now and this was just perfect.

Also perfect was the mossy green lightweight sweater knit I picked up at Fabricland in a sale just a day or two previously. It was so very soft I couldn't leave it behind. Luckily it has just enough stretch in it to be able to get away with using it for this pattern.

It's a simple design, and Jalie's drafting is so good, that I cut it without too much concern. I wondered if I'd got my sleeve shortening alterations right, as the drop shoulder threw me off a little - but as it turned out it is perfect. I love the way it drapes on the body and the shape and fit are just what I was looking for. Because I'm short I didn't alter the length - I wanted it to end at the bottom of my hip so didn't have to change anything.

I don't have a serger, so I sewed this way I usually sew knits, with a narrow zigzag stitch - 3 long & 1.5 wide. Jalie's instructions gave a different method but I didn't try it out so can't say how effective it might be (though of course, with Jalie being the experts in sewing stretch fabrics I'm sure there woul be no problems).  I wonder how this would turn out in a different fabric -- because it was so simple and I really, really like the result of this attempt, I may just try again.

Really if you haven't tried any Jalie patterns before, download this free pattern and give it a go. I think you might be pleasantly surprised.

StyleArc Lacey summer frock

I just realized I made this dress, Instagrammed it, reviewed it on PatternReview, and never came back to my blog to share it! It's now a month old at least -- so here is a slightly delayed review of the Lacey Dress from Style Arc.

In quick summary: I liked it after a few alterations.

I started this pattern because I thought it would be a great design to highlight some striped fabric I picked up in Toronto in June (at King Textiles)

It does indeed look wonderful in stripes! But there were a few small issues with my fabric choice. It is a bit too stiff to work with a gathered skirt. I tried it, and it was quite dreadful. So I quickly unpicked it and converted to a pleated skirt. Fortunately for me, the amount of gathering I need for the skirt to fit the bodice was an even number - 6" exactly. So I folded out two pleats on each side of both the front and back skirts, matching the inner pleat to the seam of the centre panel to keep things looking tidy. This skirt falls much better with some nice crisp pleats!

I also found that there was still too much fabric in the waistline and perhaps that is again down to the body of the fabric. However, I pinched out a crescent of fabric between the underarm area and the top of the pocket, with the widest part being one inch at the waistline seam. Once I'd basted that and tested it, I stitched it down permanently and much prefer the look this way. I'll go back and make those changes on my pattern pieces for next time for sure -- this is such a fun style and so comfortable to wear I am sure I'll make another one in more suitable fabric!

This is a very cool dress to wear in the muggy weather we've been having because it just floats around the body. It was fairly simple to make - no closures and the side panel/sleeve is a neat feature. I really like how the centre panels at front and back make it easy to add little touches like stripes going in opposite directions - it would also highlight some colour blocking nicely I think. This is the first Style Arc pattern I've made which fits me well, and I am very pleased with it!