I’ve been reading the Dr T Designs blog, and she’s been sewing bras. I *have* successfully sewn bras before, but they weren’t something I enjoyed sewing, and were never really my style. Assuming you can call what I have a “style”. But the brand and style I’ve been buying isn’t working anymore; not sure if they’ve changed or if I have, but the band is too big, the cups are too small, yet the next size down in the band is too tight and the cups+wires are too wide. So I’m going to have to do something different, and I have more fit knowledge than I did the last time I gave it a go, so maybe it will work better this time. I have a bunch of goodies on their way to me from bra builders and some wires coming from Porcelynne, so 🤞. Plus I’ve binge watched all the bra sewing youtubes, so I feel more confident, for whatever that’s worth. I may even end up with a matching set, since I finally got around to making more undies (until I ran out of elastic, one pair in. 🤦♀️🤷♀️) I used an old stretch and sew pattern (2051) and finally figured out how to make the view with the crossover V front (View I). They are cute on (you’ll have to take my word on this), but the elastic is super bubbly, so they aren’t as pretty when flat. I’ll add more length to the elastic next time. I think an extra inch will make a world of difference.
Does anyone else remember Jungle January? It was so long ago, but I still miss it sometimes. In fact, the fabric I used for this pattern came from the last swap done for Jungle January that I participated in, and possibly the last one period. I’ve looked at it for years and never had quite the right project for it. Until I found Butterick 6494 for “heavy” knits.
I’m still not 100% sure what this fabric is, it’s sort of like a sweater knit, or maybe it’s a Ponte (I don’t have enough Ponte experience to know for sure), but it sewed up like a dream. I also had a lot of it, which was good, because I cut view B out twice…once with the stretch in the wrong direction, and once with it going the right direction (why do they make a few fabrics with the stretch going only vertically instead of from selvage to selvage?!). 🤦♀️ Those hiccups aside, the pattern went together perfectly, and was easy to sew except for one part.
The collar.
The collar was the part of the pattern that originally drew me in, because I enjoy making them (not sure what this says about me, but whatevs.) Between the thickness of the fabric and the giant 5/8 seam allowances (which I always leave on during the first run through, just in case I need the extra.) It was a bit of a trick, and I don’t love how the collar turned out because of the bulk, but visually it’s fine. It just feels bulky and I know how bulky it is, so it’s probably all in my head.
So notes for future me (or you, just in case): the bodice is tight. I dislike this feeling, so I let out virtually all of the seam allowances up to a 1/4″–and on princess seams, that’s a lot! If I hadn’t already made some changes and traced it off, I would consider going up a size, but as it is I have plenty of room now and it fits my shoulders nicely. Strangely, for as tight as the bodice is the sleeves are almost too loose even for my big arms. I did snug it up a bit on my forearms, because I had like 3″ of ease flopping around and I wasn’t a fan. The sleeves also were a bit twisty, though I’m not sure if that was a fault of the fabric or me for trying to eek them out of my tiny scrap after cutting it out twice. I also raised the neckline slit, which was recommended by the reviews on PR. Easy to do at the tracing stage, just measure down your front to an amount of skin you’re comfortable with and adjust the lines/markings accordingly.
Overall, I like it, but I’m not sure if it’s something I’ll make multiple times like I had originally hoped. And I definitely don’t think it needs to be made in a heavy knit. An ITY weight jersey should be fine, or at least, that’s what I would try next time. If I try it again, that is.
I tried to reduce the neckline bulk by making the facing out of fusible knit interfacing only. It helped, but still very bulky, and it was exceptionally fiddly.Closeup of the neckline facing. Super fiddly, (and worse on this than usual, probably because of how beefy this fabric is?) but the results are worth it. I ended up doing some clipping and overlapping on the interfacing to get it wrinkle free and fused flat.Continue reading →
After the birthday dress disappointment, I wasn’t sure what to work on. I knew I wanted to make something, but I kind of felt a bit down on myself for not being able to make the dress work and was afraid I’d screw something else up. So I asked my husband to randomly pick a fabric from the stash and I’d sew it up.
He closed his eyes, threw a pen, and it hit some green stretch plaid. So, I made up a sleeveless KS3199. There’s not much to say about the construction that I haven’t already mentioned, except! I know they say you can’t just leave the sleeves off and expect it to work perfectly. I ignored this, and the shoulders are too wide. Maybe I’ll throw in a tuck or two and call it a “design feature”? Also, I don’t love how this fabric and the interfacing I used interact with each other. So now my collar is doing wonky things and no amount of steam and pressing seems to make a lick of difference. You know what though? I’m not sure how much I care, I need more shirts that I feel can be worn on a daily basis for the non-glamorous life stuff, and if it’s not suitable for nice occasions I’m not going to feel bad if this gets a grease stain on it during harvest or something. Though it’s probably got a little too much poly for it to be amazing in the summer heat…
What is up with the collar?!
From the front.
The back is perfect.
My tuck idea. #Lazy Also, this is the actual color.
And I’m still on the fence about how this color looks on me, I am not convinced it’s a color I should regularly wear near my face…
P.S. the more observant of you may have noticed a lack of fasteners. I hadn’t put the pearl snaps (I had an exact match in green!) on yet at the time these were taken–it’s hard to make yourself smash things with a hammer when the baby is sleeping!
Splinters & Stitches 