SWAP 2012 - All Done!

Of course, I finished sewing by the end of April, but I made my mom take all my photos yesterday. She did a great job! I sent off my email with all my pictures, and now I'm done!

My SWAP was really a rather meandering path - I had ambitious plans to make a raincoat, a suit jacket, and other such items. I did have to downgrade the ambition, but I kept consistent with my overall goal, to make wardrobe basics that would match well with many other items in my wardrobe, and wouldn't end up as orphans. I made 2 t-shirts and 2 blouses - I'd determined at the start of the year that I was quite short of tops. I also made 2 pants (another key wardrobe need), and 2 dresses. For the remainder 3 pieces, I made 1 button-down shirt, 1 jacket (my hoodie), and used a black cardigan (overshirt) as my  pre-made piece (it was made sometime last spring.)

In general, I find it pretty difficult to stick with a sewing plan, and this was no exception. But, I've done a wardrobe once before - almost 4 years ago, when I first started to sew, and there are pieces from that effort that still exist in my wardrobe. I know - painful though it is when I want to sew a summery dress - basics are what I need - pretty counts, but having something to wear is key. Especially in my life - I work for a large corporation - vintage inspired dresses aren't going to cut it at work.

And now the pictures! 

I have a hoodie!

Dear readers, I'm quite excited - look, I have a hoodie! It's remarkably practical, I can wear it every day, how very sensible of me. I'm quite surprised at myself.

The pattern is McCalls 4261. I thought the order of construction was pretty silly - everything left the raw edge visible, there was a yoke that was overlaid over the front shoulder, and all kinds of other silliness. I ignored most of the instructions, omitted the yoke entirely, and looked at an RTW hoodie of mine for sewing clues.

I would change a couple of things the next time I make this.
- I didn't interface the center front, I would. I think an interfaced front would hold up to the weight of the zipper better.
- The top-stitching on my pockets are seriously wonky - again, interfacing and tracing out the pocket attachment line would have helped greatly. Next time, will do so.
- Oh, and I'm going to adjust the height of the hood - this one is too big, I think?

And yes, of course there's going to be a next time! Hoodies are cool.

Purple flowered Vogue 8667 - this year's birthday dress

Around this time of year, thoughts usually turn to stitching a birthday dress. Last year, I made my blue knit dress - a wardrobe favorite! This year, due to the time constraints of the SWAP, I needed to sew a dress that would also fit into the SWAP - sewing TNTs concept, and so I turned to Vogue 8667. 

Fun little fabric fact - I bought it with a gift certificate my friend Anna gave me for my birthday last year. Birthday present fabric to make a birthday dress? Score! I love this fabric - it's a stretch cotton - it's quite thick, and doesn't need to be lined, simplifying the sewing tremendously.

What a lovely and easy dress to sew! The cotton made the sewing and the pressing super-easy. The pattern is really well drafted, with clearly marked petite lines. I folded as instructed, and everything came together swimmingly. (For the neckline, I could have drafted facings, but instead, I used a bias-binding strip, attaching it to the neck, and hand-tacking it down.)

Normally, I view any sort of hand-sewing as a failure. However, with this print, any normal hem was going to be visible, and I don't know how to sew an invisible hem by machine. So, I painstakingly hand-stitched the hem, the sleeve hem and the binding to the neck. Aargh. Would have taken me less time to learn how to use the blind-hem foot. 

The dress is a bit snug on me, no? My birthday's 10 days away. I guess I could try forgetting to eat from now until then. Or, Spanx. (In all probability, knowing both my love for food, and my love for comfort, neither scenario will happen.)

Still, I'm really quite pleased about the dress. (My cousin really has a gorgeous back yard - it makes for really fantastic photo taking! Check out that tree in the background!)

Oh, and the SWAP countdown? 4 pieces to go. 

The State of the SWAP

Dear readers, the deadline draws nearer! And it turns out, I have 5! patterns to sew in 2 weeks. Aargh. How do I manage to end up in this situation?

Anyway, I have a couple of aces in my pocket, if you will.(Small aces.) If I really run out of time, I have a couple of t-shirts and one button-down shirt that I made in the time period that I haven't included, so maybe, I'll just use one of those?

Sewing pattern review: BWOF 09-2010-122

Dear readers, if there's one dress I've sewn that I've reached for over and over again, it's my blue version of BWOF 09-2010-122. This dress is lovely, it makes me feel effortlessly stylish, and it works well with a cardigan and tights when it's cooler, and by itself when it's warm. I've worn it to work, I've worn it to parties, I've worn it cleaning... (ok, that last bit is a lie...) I don't think I can overstate how much I love this dress. 

And so, when I was thinking through simplifying my SWAP plans, I was pretty sure I'd be making another version of this dress. 

And here it is, and how I love this version as well! Do I look smug? I feel smug. 

Review stuff:

This time around, I didn't even bother looking at the instructions - I looked quickly at my last version, and got to it. The pattern is incredibly well-drafted, and the numbers on the corners that show you what seam to match up with is all you need to sew this dress. 

Sizing - I cut a size 19 on top, size 20 on the bottom. I shortened it too, I took about 3-4 inches off the original length - this version hits just below the knee.

Other things: 

- The 2.5 dot rating on this top is completely bogus, atleast if you leave off the sleeve flaps. Super easy. I made it in 2 hours, and I'm not fast. 

- As before, I left off the sleeve flaps. I can't see myself in sleeve flaps. 

- I interfaced the armsyce and then just folded it back and sewed down. For the neckline, I contemplated interfacing it, but then got lazy and didn't. I did scoop it slightly deeper than my first version though. 

Et voila! 

McCalls 6078 - Another easy t-shirt

Dear readers, according to the SWAP plan, I was supposed to either catch up by finishing another pair of pants, or start my raincoat.

Yet, somehow, after the red t-shirt was done, I reached for this printed knit fabric I'd bought in October in France (I like buying a piece of fabric on vacation - it's a nice reminder of the vacation, plus, I get to go fabric shopping in a foreign country.)

I'm happy to say that when I bought the fabric, a cowl-neck t-shirt was exactly what I wanted to make. Looking through the pattern stash, I even discovered the perfect pattern - McCalls 6078, view B. It was a quick couple of hours of work to cut out the pattern, cut the t-shirt and sew it up. Easy-peasy!

Not sure what else to say about the pattern that would qualify for a review. Let's see - I made a small, and took ~4 inches off the hem. In retrospect, and for the next time around, I think I'll only take off 3 inches, to get an extra inch in length. The length is fine, but I sometimes tug at the t-shirt, which is a little silly.

I really like this kind of top for work - I layer it under a cardigan, and I'm neither too hot nor too cold. Plus, as I mentioned, it was really, really easy to sew. I must explore my stash to see how many more I can make!

I did spend a bit of time starting to cut out another pair of pants for the SWAP, and hopefully, that'll translate into me sewing the pants this week. Ideally, I'd like to get in production-mode, and cut out and sew 4 pairs of pants at the same time, but I recognize that this is unlikely to happen... I quite like production sewing, but the cutting? The idea of cutting 4 pairs of pants, and then 4 pairs of lining is quite horrifying, really.

Oh, and I do need t-shirts for the SWAP, and so both this t-shirt and the previous red one could qualify, so I'm not too terribly off-plan. Though I did say I needed a black t-shirt, and I still do...

Simplicity 2933 Red t-shirt

What a fun, easy t-shirt this was. A few hours of work, some leftover fabric, and voila! - I have a t-shirt.

I've made this pattern before. I've worn the dress countless times, which makes me extremely optimistic that this red t-shirt will get the same amount of use.

Pattern notes - I cut a size 8 - there's a lot of ease in this pattern! - and shortened the top about 4 inches. It's the perfect length now.

Pants! I have them!

I'm rather delighted with these pants, dear readers.

They aren't perfect. But, compared to my many previous versions, this is the best pair yet. (The one that came closest, before this, was this green version.)

(As an aside, I tried them on, and spent a ridiculous time staring at my crotch, making sure the pants fit without wrinkling. Sewists are funny people, aren't they? I've been staring at people's pants as I walk around the city, checking for fit. It's a bit strange.)

The pants look a bit wrinkled in these pictures, but that's cause I'd been wearing them for a few hours - they stood the test of an all-you-can-eat lunch, and still fit. Score!

The back - I'm not sure if these lines are normal, or if I did something wrong (cut off grain?) I'm going to try the pattern again, and see. (It could be that my original pattern was unlined, with a different heavier weight than the fabric I used for these pants.)

The fabric was a thrift store find - $3? I think they are wool, or some kind of wool blend. ($3 fabric is perfect for a trial set of pants!) Inside, the pants are fully lined (I need to work on that though, it's definitely wrong, the way I'm doing it) with some lining fabric I got as a gift from a friend.

Oh yeah, this is a complete SWAP outfit. My blouse is part of the SWAP too - sweet!

So, the SWAP. I'm now a full week and a pair of pants behind. Instead of  (a) starting on my raincoat or (b) catching up with another set of pants, I've decided to sew a quick fun project, a red t-shirt. I'm hoping to use the t-shirt for my SWAP though - but I'm definitely doing it out of order.

SWAP 2012 - a plan to get it done

Dear readers, as you saw in my post yesterday, I'm easily distracted. If I'm to complete my 2012 SWAP (and I do! I need wardrobe basics!), I needed a PLAN.

So, I pulled out Excel, filled in the weeks, and made a plan. I'm already done with my two blouses (I think...), so up next would be two pairs of pants.

I've allocated the entire month of February to work on my raincoat - simply because I think it will be the most challenging thing I've made - both in terms of complexity, and in terms of sheer fuss. In addition, I don't have a pattern for this. Any suggestions? I've 4 years of past Burda issues to look through, and I could snoop shop RTW for this as well.

In March, my feeling is that I'm going to be sick of major projects, so March is about the easy quick wins. Skirts, t-shirts and a hoodie.

And I'll finish with another complex project, a lined suit jacket in April.

Which is, on paper, a good mix between long meaningful projects (which I should do more of) and quick instant-gratification projects (which I do all the time.)

In general, I'm a great planner but am terrible at follow-through. I'm counting on you, dear Readers. If you see me talk about some sewing that isn't on the plan - call me out, will you?

A third version of BWOF 06-2011-106

Dear readers, it's cold in Toronto. As a result, there will be boring indoor pictures on the blog until further notice. Sigh. I guess a trip to the Allen Conservatory is in order.

I cut this shirt out on vacation in Myrtle Beach, but needed the serger to finish edges, so it didn't get finished until last night. I could have sworn I was being careful cutting it out, but somehow, I've managed to place a flower on my breast. Ah well, atleast it wasn't a pink flower.

I bought this fabric in April with a gift certificate my friend Anna gave me for my birthday. (What a fun gift!) The last top I made with Anna's gift certificate, I've worn constantly - I'm hoping the same will be the case for this top.

Previous versions of this pattern are here and here. 3 versions in the last month? Why, yes. It's a great pattern, and really easy. Highly recommend.

Parting shot - cooking:

There's a new eatery in my neighborhood that specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches. $7-$10 for a grilled cheese sandwich. Yikes! I love grilled cheese sandwiches, but that's ridiculous.

I had some leftover grated radish mixed with masala and green chili (a paratha stuffing), and as a grilled cheese experiment, I added it to my grilled cheese sandwich. Along with some onion and tomato slices. It was delicious. But then again, is there anything you can add to a grilled cheese sandwich that will make it less tasty? I think not.

Another version of BWOF 06-2011-106

So easy to make, another version had to happen.

This top was inspired by an Anthropologie top that I can't find on their site anymore. Basically, the fabric is a white print with a coloured border. I cut the front on the bias using the border, and the back is the printed white, cut on grain.

Dear readers, this is the top for which I actually bothered to sit and learn how to thread my serger - this fabric is very ravely, and I was too lazy to mess with French seams.

Other things - I changed the neckline from a V to a rounded neck and stitched the side seams all the way down.

I'm off for the next few days to Myrtle Beach to visit my brother. Sewing will happen though - we are driving down, and I'm taking my machine. (Most of my family, afraid of what would happen when I get bored, vehemently came out in favour of the machine going along. I make a very bad bored person.)

BWOF 06-2011-106

Dear Readers, after all the selflessness I've been displaying, surely I was overdue for some me-sewing? I decided that yes, it was indeed time to make something for me. And thankfully, I had a blessedly unscheduled weekend, which actually left me time to sew - love!

I was looking for a low-commitment quickie project to get me back in the swing of things, and so I traced out BWOF 06-2011-106 (a one-dot pattern) and got to work.



My fabric was a bit of thrift-store cotton I've had lying around for over three years in my stash. (I bought it when I still lived in Michigan; I paid 50c for 1.5 yards of fabric.)

I did most of the work yesterday, with some hem finishing things today. What a simple top! Less than 30 minutes of sewing, I did it in 5 minute chunks - I kept getting distracted. Still, super simple. I should have finished yesterday, but didn't... This evening, my parents came over for dinner (my mom cooked, score!) and I should have got one of them to take my photo. Unfortunately, the top still needed hemming at that point, my allergies had been insane all day. Hence, self-taken photos of me, which I hate, really, but ah well.

I was aiming for a feel that was a sort of a cross between artist smock and peasant blouse. I'm not sure if that's the look I got, or if instead I got scrubs. I'm sticking to the former.

That's quite a v-neck, no? Ah, Burda - my breasts actually don't need to be on display when I make a shirt. Next version around, I'll raise the neck an inch or so.

This might be a contender for my SWAP. It certainly fits the 'Sew the Basics' theme.

And now I'm off to cut the next version...

The Stitcher's Guild 2012 SWAP

I haven't done a SWAP in ages, but intellectually, I love them. (Reality check - I'm fantastic at making plans, significantly less so when it comes to following through.)

The full set of rules are here.

Basically, I need to make 11 garments - here's what I'm thinking of making.

- 2 t-shirts. I'll probably make that long-sleeved black t-shirt that my wardrobe has been screaming out for, and a cream t-shirt. This is all about basics for me.
- 2 pairs of pants. Black for sure, and probably a brown. (Have to look in the stash to see what I have.)
- 2 blouses. This is where I'll incorporate the prints - I'll make a couple of blouses that will go with the pants.
- 1 suit coat. Probably something that goes with the black pants, as difficult as that will be to photograph.
- 2 skirt. For the first one, I'm thinking cream. I have some cream faux-suede that's been screaming to be made for ages. I've been procrastinating, since it would involve lapped seams, which I've never done before, but it's time to put on the big-girl-pants, and get to it. The second one? Well, I still need a black A-line skirt, and even a black woolen pencil skirt (I have a black cotton pencil skirt, but I can't really wear it in winter, I'd die!)
- Raincoat. Every single time it rains, I resolve to make a raincoat. I even have fabric - navy blue. This SWAP is a perfect impetus to make it up.
- Hoodie. Much more casual - but I need something to just grab and go. I'm thinking something fun and asymmetrical.

As I review the plan, I'm thinking - wow, that's boring. My colours are blacks, browns, greys, blues and creams.

And guess what? That's exactly what I need. Right now, I'm wearing a black t-shirt, a black cardigan, and a pair of peach-ish pants. Yesterday, I wore grey pants and a coloured sweater, with a black t-shirt underneath. This is how I dress to work, and I might as well sew the things I need for it.