2779 - Jacket

I have finally girded my loins (so to speak).  LOL.  Now it's time to tackle making the chiffon jacket.  I've cut out all of the pieces.  Each had to be cut in one layer.  Yawn.  That was Saturday.  Sunday I worked in the backyard weeding, fertilizing and doing general early spring cleanup.  And today it's raining cats and dogs off and on.

Today I'm actually sewing.  Got out my Sandra Betzina "More Fabric Savvy" to make sure I was on the right track.  I'm using a 8 Microtex needle and sewing stitch length is 2.0, holding the thread tails and using a slightly taut sewing.  All of the seams will be french.  Here's a few pictures of my progress.

Shoulders and side seams are complete. 

Now I need to decide if I want to install the sleeves before I do the rolled hem, which, by the way, includes all the way around the neckline.

This is a little practice piece (on the bias) of a hand rolled hem.  I'm hoping, that with practice, I'll get a rhythm going so this will speed up a tad.  I don't mind hand sewing at all, but this is very, very slow.

A note about this fabric.  It sucks!  No, really, it's beautiful but a real pain to work with it.  I've had to baste every seam just to sew it. 

Vogue 2779 - Jacket

I've been doing a good bit of thinking and planning about the jacket.  Here you can see I've drawn out the other half of the jacket back that was supposed to be placed on the fold and cut.  But...since I'm treating the chiffon as a border fabric, I'll cut it out "in the flat" as opposed to "on the fold".   This chiffon print doesn't have a regular repeat so I won't have to match anything.  That's kind of a relief.  LOL.  I'm going to do french seams and I'm thinking of doing a hand-rolled hem.  It will be my first.  I've done machine narrow hems but not a hand-rolled.  With the bit of research done so far, it doesn't appear to be difficult. 

And you can see that my cutting table is barely adequate for the task.  Sigh.  I'm going to have to place chairs on either side of the table to balance the fabric so it doesn't pull.   I'm thinking about going to B-Sew Inn or even a local quilt shop to cut this jacket out but I don't think their tables are any bigger than mine.  Although they do have more tables and I could shove a couple together to get the job done. 

There is an event Saturday at B-Sew Inn; Designer's Gallery is introducing a new piece of software called Embroidery Works.  How is it Babylock always seems to know exactly when I've paid something off?  LOL.  Anyway I'm going to the event and we'll see what it is they have to offer.  I taught there yesterday and it didn't look like they were prepping the big rooms so maybe I can sneak in.  LOL.

Now off for the Doctor's appt.

Some News...

My plans to make a spring jacket have been postponed for now.  I found out late last week Alan and I will be attending a 50th wedding celebration, vow reaffirmation and reception on June the 2nd in OKC.  It will be a formal affair.  I've had a pattern waiting in the wings for just such an opportunity.  And, it just so happens, I was meeting Claire Kennedy in OKC for lunch Saturday.  Talk about all the planets being aligned! LOL.  After lunch we ran over to  Helen Enox and browsed fabrics.  I found a beautiful dusky purple dupioni for the slacks and shell.  I really wanted lace for the jacket but we just couldn't find anything we both liked.  But we found some really cool burnout silk chiffon that is fantastic.

This the look I'm going to try to achieve, although I'll probably make the pants a tad longer.  Both the shell and the pants will be lined.  I'll probably make the jacket first since there's really not a lot of fitting involved with it.  I don't have a trouser TNT, so I'll have to make a muslin and I've enlisted Claire's help in tweaking it.  Since I'll be cutting the shell out with the leftovers from the pants, I'll wait to do both pieces until after the jacket and the pants muslin is complete.

 Don't you just love the colors? 

Later!

Alan's Tee Finished

Here it is, in all of it's glory.  You might want to put on sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare.  LOL.  I know it looks big, but this is made to his specs.  He likes to be able to raise his arms and have the shirt fall back down without catching on his pants.  He also doesn't like it when the fabric bunches up under the arms like so many of his free or purchased t-shirts tend to do.

He'll be a treat for the eyes when he's out in the yard mowing.  LOL.

Actually this a prelude to making dressy Tee's to wear under sport jackets.  He likes that look.  Since he'll be traveling later on in the season, that will be a nice summer look.

That's all I have for today.  I'm contemplating a spring jacket or a heavier coat.  Haven't quite made up my mind.

Alan's Tee progress

As usual life got in the way of fun.  Sigh.  I'm just now starting to sew the t-shirt.  I really haven't done all that much yet.  Cut out the largest size, XXL.  If you look at the pictures on the pattern front, they use a teenager not an adult.  Usually Alan just takes an XL tall.  I guess even Mens clothing has succumbed to closer fitting along the rest of the fashion world.  

The fabric I'm using for his test Tee is a cotton t-shirt knit I purchased over 20 years ago for a beach cover-up.  At the time we lived in Titusville, Florida.  So take this with a grain of salt.  LOL. Shown is the shoulder's sewn together and the neck band attached and cover-stitched.  I have never tried to cover-stitch the neck band before so it's not very straight or evenly sewn.  Have you tried to fit all that fabric in the 1-1/2 inch space you have available on your cover-stitch?  How do you manhandle/handle it?  LOL.

YES the fabric is that bright.  LOL.

Julie Christine mentioned she a little afraid of starting to sew knits having not had much experience.  I tell you just jump right in Julie.  LOL.  I felt the same way at first.  So what if the first one or two shirts aren't perfect?  You learn and improve with each garment you make.  And in my book, as long as you're learning, its all good.  LOL.  Julie also asked if I knew of any good sources for tee fabric.  Actually I don't know of any off the top of my head.  I don't even remember where I got the hot pink tie dye I'm using for Alan's test.  I've seen a few tee fabrics at the store we all hate to shop at - JoAnns.  I think I even remember some tie dye's in blues and yellow.  I might go see if I can snag a couple yards for another tee.  But if any of you know of a quality source, let me know in the comment section.

OH speaking of comments.  With the help of another blogger, I learned how to turn off that dratted two word prove your not a robot word verification.  GAH!  I hate those things!

Bits & Pieces...

Thank you everyone for your kind remarks on my heirloom cami.  I really do appreciate your taking the time to read my blog and make a comment. 

This post would have been up last Thursday but we had family in for a long weekend visit.  I spend a lot of my time cleaning and prepping the overflow fabric storage guest room to be presentable.  LOL.  It was nice to visit again; it's been years since we'd been able to get together.

One commenter mentioned moving from a "masterpiece" to a T-shirt?  LOL.  When you have a wonderful DH who supports my fabriholicism  (hmmm is that even word?), I have to placate him with a garment or two.  Lately his thing is t-shirts.  He's tall, 6'3" and not overweight.  Probably 200 pounds.  Why is it when you try to buy for tall they always think overweight too?  So if I/he purchased a shirt, its huge in the belly area.  He has his shirts made now just so he can get a decent athletic cut.  Why am I not making his shirts, you say?  Well, for one thing, the fabrics are really beautiful and so much better than I can get my hands on and secondly, they can make them so much cheaper than I can.  And because he purchases several at a time, he gets $100 shirts for half price.  It's a really good deal. Oh, lastly, what is more boring than making a man's business shirt.  Ugh.  So I make him a casual shirt here and there.

Hence going from an heirloom camisole to a tee.  LOL.

This is Kwik Sew 3878.  I'll be making View A.  Once I have this fitted to his satisfaction, it'll be a no-brainer to sew.  I even have a fabric to test it. 

I'm pressing the pattern and prepping the fabric.

Back soon with more progress.