Dun, Dun, DONE!!

Yes! Finally! I finished up those slacks (a mashup of KS 3267 and Jalie 2107) that I’ve been working on for my darling husband! I even learned something new while sewing these up: you CAN take a welt pocket back apart after you’ve cut it–if you’re vewy, vewy, caweful. 😉 The trick is to make sure that you restitch very close to the clipped corners, but that you don’t end up in the cut part…this sounds obvious, but it’s more tricky than you might think. The ridiculous part is that I was so afraid to take it apart that I tried every which way from Sunday trying to make it look like a welt pocket without taking it apart (I didn’t find an acceptable alternative method, BTW) when it was so much simpler just to take it completely apart and do it right. Sometimes I’m just a stubborn glutton for punishment, and I don’t know why.

And I have pictures! None of the recipient modeling them though, you get to see them on the lovely “floora” (freshly vacuumed even!) instead. 😛

Can you tell which pocket was the one that put me through my own personal hell? Me neither. 🙂

So, after that, I have to do my post project clean up and decide what to sew up next. I’m thinking a button-up blouse from Simplicity 7057 which I hunted down like it was…well, something that you hunt down, after seeing a picture of the envelope on Emily’s blog. I know, it was probably silly to chase it down over simply seeing the envelope cover, but well, raglan sleeves. I even have a crazy print to make a (hopefully) wearable muslin out of. It’ll either be awesome or awful….or a mix of both.

P.S. Do you think I used quite enough italics in this post? I must be feeling a bit emphasized stressed. 😛

Fabric choice fail

Sometimes I really struggle with achieving that perfect harmony of fabric and pattern. Apparently my version of Jalie 2562 with the chiffon knit is one of those that struck a bad chord. Since the polo style didn’t fly, I attempted to salvage it into a v-neck tee, but in order to get rid of the hole where I accidentally snagged the fabric when picking out some of the older stitches I had to cut a vee that was deeper than I’m comfortable with. 😦 Of course, I discovered this after I had already cut the new neckline. A shame really, but what can you do? Oh well, I can still salvage it for lingerie, and it’ll be be cuter for that anyway.

On the upside, I did discover that my alterations for the Jalie polo should work marvelously for a better fabric. 🙂 I nailed the FBA, and I even tried the “easing” method for the bust darts. I was a bit nervous because it looks kind of ugly and wrinkly flat, but it looks pretty normal on. And I forgot to do the swayback alteration. 😳 So I guess it’s still there, but it looks like an easy fix, and I can probably work out how much to remove on my dressform using the shirt I’ve already sewn most of the way up.

So I guess I’ll pick something else out of my plan and see how badly I can mangle it. 😉

SWAP Update

Today I cut out the lining pieces for my first version of Jalie 2562 and I think it’s going to fit pretty well. I’m going to try to add in a small dart at the bustline because the front armscye and back don’t quite meet up after adding in the FBA. I’ve got some puddling in the back, but I can’t decide how to go about fixing it, since it’s an alteration I’ve never done before. Darts? Carving out the waistline on the back pieces? Well, I’m sure I’ll be able to figure it out with some input or research. 🙂

I’m hoping to have both of these (and possibly an extra) done by this weekend, so that I can have at least two garments done for the SWAP. I’m starting to think that I’m not going to be able to finish the SWAP, given all the excitement going on here, but I’m going to give it my best shot.

Speaking of excitement, most of our stuff is ordered for our bathroom remodel. There’s been a couple changes in the plan to make our budget happier, but that’s OK. 🙂 I’ve gotten cold feet about it and worry that I’m making poor choices, but by the time the stuff gets here I should be over it and ready to rock. Do you ever do that? Start to have serious doubts about yourself when you get ready to take on a big project?

Until next time, may your days be filled with good fortune and humor! 🙂

Lazy Sunday

First off, I wanted to apologize. My rant the other day was not directed specifically at Bernina (though my husband told me that’s how it sounded). I was lamenting the cost of new machines in general, and it was easy to pick on Bernina since they’re easily the most expensive (and a well-known) brand. If it makes you feel better, my Pfaff was overpriced too, and I’ll admit that I paid too much. Well, some days I think them paying me to take it would have been too much. 🙄 😉 I’ve had suggestions of getting a vintage machine, and I have one, maybe I just need to start using it more. After I pony up to get the timing fixed.

I should have my jeans that I started in December(?) finished today and be able to start on my next project. I’m getting to be in dire need of shirt-like garments again. I tried on one of my KS 3593 blouses yesterday and hubby and I both realized that it’s too big. I think my next blouse though will be Vogue 1260 (instead of the Burda JJ for my SWAP):

This was probably one of the first ever patterns where I looked at the line drawing after seeing the uninspiring pattern photo and still said “self, I think you should do this one”. It has two of my favorite features. Princess seams and raglan sleeves. I don’t care for the gathering, but it looks like it should be easy enough to eliminate, so it sounds like a winner to me! Now if I could just figure out what size to make…….

Well, that’s unexpected….

All that pretty topstitching... 😦

I can’t say that it’s a first (though maybe it is?) but my jeans are too big. I even took in the side seams by about 1/2″, and they are still too big. 😕 So now, I’m not sure what to do, since I can pinch out about another inch before activating the stretch (that would be about 2″ total). The fly is already finished, so I don’t want to rip that out. Maybe the center back seam? That’ll ruin two rows of nearly perfect topstitching, plus a row of regular stitching, but if it will make them fit it will be worth it. How much can one reasonably take out of a center back seam though? I’m scared to take much more out of the side seams, because there’s pockets that I plan to use. Maybe I’ll think more clearly after I’ve had lunch and a bit more time to think it over. Wish me luck.

Guess I’ll be working on a new “sloper” for pants soon. I can’t decide whether I’m thrilled because there has been significant inches lost (I am) or whether I’m kinda freaked about making a new one (I’m that too).

SWAP Item #1

I started on my first item for SWAP today (you are allowed to start two projects before the December 26th start date), a pair of Jalie jeans. I had hopes of finishing them today, but realized that I only had tricot interfacing. 😦 Here’s the topstitching on the pockets, try to ignore my bright orange chalk.

In real life the denim is significantly darker, and the topstitching is closer to a hunter green than this picture would indicate. I really need some cool ideas for topstitching pockets. Mine are so terribly boring. 😦 And my hubby doesn’t like the green thread…at all. I kind of love it though. 😉

So anyway, I’m trying to be strategic about this. Since I’ve been steadily losing weight (who knows if that will continue through the holidays though), I am DESPERATELY in need of new pants/jeans now that belts aren’t quite enough to hold up my way-too-big pants. Since I had listed jeans/slacks on my SWAP, I decided they would be the first things to be made. I’ll probably (hopefully) un-grow them soon enough, but a girl still has to get dressed in the meantime, right?

Hope ya’ll have a great weekend! 🙂

That which we cannot have

I always want the things that I can’t have. The more unattainable, the more I want it. Same goes for clothing styles. I want the kind of clothes that I don’t have the figure for–and there are a lot of them! A perfect example?

Marfy 1297

That’s right. I want this blouse, and not only are my boobs too big for something like this (unless I want everyone to talk to my chest), but so is my stomach…and well, it just wouldn’t be pretty.

On a happier note, I found a pair of Jalie jeans that I started to make a long time ago that were too small at the time–since I’ve lost some weight, they look like they’ll fit now with minimal tweaking. Yay! All they need are some tweaks at the upper side seams, attaching the waistband and a hem. Most of the topstitched area is completed, so they shouldn’t take but a couple of hours, and I’ll have another pair of jeans to add to my dwindling supply of jeans that fit. 🙂 Even better? These are some of that sexy stretch denim in a super dark wash that I had the excellent sense to use the off-white topstitching thread on. These babies are gonna be gorgeous. 🙂

Wishing you a FABULOUS Father’s Day!

One of my peeps behind-the-scenes in my wonderful husband. I was blessed with a man who isn’t scared to be a father–and a GREAT one at that. It’s sad these days that so few children seem to have a great father in their lives, and in that regard, we’ve truly been blessed. I have a wonderful father of my own, a wonderful father-in-law, and a husband who proves every day that he is more than worthy of the title “Dad”.

Here’s hoping that each and every father has a fabulous day of celebration.

Anyway, I should probably move on from the sappy stuff. Hubby is likely to read this, and he’s not much for sappy stuff–or so he claims. 😉 For his day I made a golf shirt (pics to come later, we forgot it in the in-laws combine last night :oops:) from Jalie 963, view A. Here’s the very 90’s-y looking picture of it. (Jalie patterns are ranged from Toddler to “Whoa Big Daddy!” all in the same envelope, so ignore the fact that there’s only kids on the picture). Review of the pattern later.

For his special breakfast he got pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. He also got Chalupas (recipe here) for lunch, because he loves Mexican-style food. I even made some “beignets” with some of the chalupa dough for dessert, which turned out really good. 🙂 I think we’ll just have something light for supper after all of that though, because we’ve eaten way more calories than we’ll end up burning, I’m sure. 😛

Jalie jeans finished!!

I told you the other day that they were really close to done, and being the horrible blogger that I am, I forgot (and have been busy!) to post the finished pictures for around 3 days. 😳

A couple of notes for me and anyone else that might find them useful.

* This pattern has way too much hip curve for my rectangle shape. I swung the side seams out two sizes, and for the next pair I will straighten them even more–they don’t need swung out, just straightened–I has no curves. 😛

* I used the Debbie Cook method of zipper fly insertion over the one provided in the Jalie pattern. It worked great, but I missed the edge I was supposed to catch when I stitched the “J” the first time which caused some funky pulling and was extremely difficult to fix by the time I noticed it (which was after I tried them on the first time).

* I had added length, but think I should take it out for the next pair(s), because there is plenty of length.

* I used non-stretch denim for these, but my next pairs will have a minimal amount of stretch…I’m trying to decide if I should make them smaller to compensate or not. Nothing worse than having to pull up my pants all the time. 😡 Especially since I’m not really a huge fan of belts.

* I have a little of the gaping at the center back. I think I’ll just take bigger seam allowances on the CB yoke on the next pair, tapering to nothing at the bottom of the yoke.

* Straight waistbands are perfect for my rectangle shape. As a bonus, they are much easier to cut and sew with my fabric scrimping ways. 😉

* The high waisted version is the perfect height! I couldn’t have made this a more perfect height if I’d have drafted them myself. 🙂

So yeah, I love these things, and will probably live in them for the next few months, and then hopefully they’ll be too big. 😉 But, I’m sure that you really just want to see the pictures, and I’m even modeling them! 😀

Hubby says my butt looks really good in these, better than is represented by the odd angle of the picture. LOL! This was WAYYYYYY better than his first attempts though–those made my look like my hips were way bigger than they are….

OK, I’m actually too embarrassed to post those pics after all, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. 😉

Almost finished!

I spent some time this weekend on my Jalie 2908 jeans that I mentioned the other day. They are almost finished, belt-loops, waistband, and hemming are all that’s left. Ha ha! (Yes, I’m well aware that there’s also a fair amount of topstitching to do that will consume some time, even though it’s not really hard to do.)

Here’s some unmodeled pictures of my progress.

They look like jeans, so I guess that means it’s a success, right? 😛