MAGAM June 2016

The Make a garment a month theme for June was 'Joyful June'

Joyful June for me was all about getting into my sewing room and playing. Playing gives me great joy and takes my stress away! It also turned out to be a very productive sewing month. This is a long post , I wanted to get it all in, otherwise time goes by and I never get my work up.

I really wasn't sure where I was going with this theme at first. I had a lot of things piled up on my sewing table. I just let my mood take me away.

This was the first thing I made. I call this my Barcelona tank top. It's a self drafted pattern that I have made up 3 times in a lovely fabric called Barcelona. This was my recycling project as well. I started with a garment that I got at the thrift shop, it didn't fit me but I loved the fabric. So I cut it up - what else!?

Here's how I did it. I cut out the circles from the print, leaving a border of white.

Made a sample. Water soluble stabilizer on the back. Then free motion stitching. I used gold metallic thread which I did not like so I changed to silver. I liked how it turned out, so I kept going.

I pinned it all down and went to town.

I have a new Bernina with the stitch regulator that I wanted to play with.

This was fun= joyful.

When I was done I cut away the extra stabilizer and rinsed it out.

I let it dry over night and pressed it out in the morning.

It looked quite puckered. I was a bit nervous. But I was fairly sure from my sample it would work out.

Steam and the wooden clapper. It came up beautiful.

My dear husband always gives my outfits names. This he calls 'Casino Wear'! I love it!!!

I have to admit he kinda nailed it. It's got that lounge look to it.

I had some circles left over so I made the pants too. I used Vogue 8641. These were so easy. They stitched up in an hour.

I liked the pants so much I made them again in a navy pin stripe. I haven't hemmed them yet because I'm not sure which shoes to wear them with. I will be doing a separate blog post on the pants.

Barcelona tank , again.

Teal or turquoise?

I made the tank to wear alone or under this Burda Style Magazine pattern.

Chiffon tunic from the Grunge Collection. 03/2014#126.

I added sleeve tabs. My new machine makes perfect button holes!!!! That brings me joy!!

Barcelona tank top X's 2. One in lace over a lace trimmed one. The little over jacket I'm wearing, is an orphan I made about 3 years ago, also self drafted, never blogged about it.

The very loose weave of the fabric easily allowed me to add a hand crocheted scalloped edge all the way around it.

Now I have something to wear it with.

I also made another altered Vogue 8950. I blogged about it first here.

Yes - I made More stuff this month!

My brother got a Voo Doo doll for his birthday. Made from an old T-shirt. We decided instead to call it an acupuncture doll. This was fun. What do you give a guy who has everything?

The Jalie Maxi pattern has been on my list since it came out and I finally got around to making it. I should have done it a lot sooner. It's amazing. Great fit. (Not skin tight) super easy and fast!

From my new Turkish sewing magazines, I made a jumpsuit that I just love. I blogged about it here.

I also made a white blouse from one of the Magazines. It's been a very long time since I've made a placket with buttonholes. It turned out just okay. I had problems with some of the stitching order due to no instructions. But now that I have it figured out I might make it again. I also dislike the fabric. It's a linen /cotton blend. Next time I'll stick to one or the other. Somehow it combines the worst properties of both fabrics. However it still has a nice feel. This fabric was not inexpensive, I noticed after I pre washed it,it had a few holes in it. I thought I was being careful but somehow I managed to place a hole right by the middle button. Not sure how I'm going to fix it.

Creazion Elisi #3 pattern model #102.

We are almost at the end of this post. Yeah!

The last project is McCalls 7389 view B.

This was super quick and easy to make. And a great little stash buster. If you don't have a lot of fashion fabric, it has a lining.

I have been looking for little summer top patterns using wovens.This is nothing more then a glorified tank top but what's great about it is it's not gigantic. I made a size 10 and took it in a1/2 inch on either side at the under arm , tapering down 2". Everything else fit beautifully.

I cut the eyelet from yardage which was less expensive then buying eyelet trim. I have another project in mind for the rest of it.

I only have one picture that turned out of me wearing it. I think it's really cute. If you don't like showing your under arms then this is not the top for you. It exposes what I like to call my 'chicken fat'. But when I'm hot I really don't care!

Here it is with using lace. I laid the lace over it after I attached the yoke and wrapped it around the edges, then stitched it through all the layers. This worked out well until I went to press it and melted the lace with a hot iron!!! But lace is forgiving and I managed to cut out the crusty mess and invisibly patch it. I can't see where I fixed it unless I look at the back and see my hand stitches.

Of course I'm wearing the wrong bra with this but you get the idea. This will be nice to wear with jeans or the wide leg pin stripe pants that still need to be hemmed.

Now I'm done. I'd be surprised if you have read this far! I am so tired of taking pictures of myself. I'm starting to feel like I have a narcissistic disorder!! I can assure you I don't.

That's it for June. Now I have to clean up my sewing room. It looks like a bomb went off in there.

Thanks for stopping by.

Maureen;)

 

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Vogue 8950 altered

There's been so many great reviews of this pattern- my first first attempt wasn't good! (V8950) It was not exactly a wadder just a fail for me. I used some expensive knit with Lycra.(From Fabricana Imports) No matter what needle or machine I used it seemed impenetrable or chewable. It was weird. On top of it , the fabric was clingy but it had a nice drape and weight. I really wanted it to work!!!! I have 2 meters left ....that's how nice I thought it was!

The pattern however was good except it was very, very long. I shortened the pattern before I cut and kept cutting more after. I think the fabric had a strange curse on it and kept growing! The first round the fabric won.

I won the second round. Yeah me.

I did have to make a few alterations mind you.

This time I used a knit and a linen in a colour block configuration. I've been seeing this everywhere so I thought why not. Again the fabrics are from Fabricana. A cheapish knit with zero recovery and a really nice and pricey Italian linen.

I learned my lesson the first go and found that 20 1/2 inch length for the linen was perfect for me.

 

For more of a swing look I slashed and spread the pattern by 3" so 6" in total to the front and back. The sleeves and yokes were fine the way they were. I also stitched up the side vents.

In all fairness I will make the original version again in a non bewitching fabric because it's a good design. But my altered pattern is my new favorite TNT, perfect for mixing it up with leftover bits!

Thanks for stopping by.

 

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Vogue 9171 a love hate thing.

 

I will begin by saying I really love my top. It's unique and funky. And it's more like a dress on me!

 

I love this fabric. A billowing, graphic print rayon from Fabricana Imports @19.95 a meter- ouch!

 

Cutting this out was a pain. The main pieces were big and had to be cut out of single layer fabric. I'm lazy.I crossed all my T's and dotted all my I's when it came to the clips and markings, making it a breeze to stitch up.

 

I loved that this top has a separate hem facing. I believe the last time I made a faced hem was in the 80's. (May have to dig out that pattern!) I think I'm going to start adding facings to more of my hems. I love the depth of a good hem and the weight. Garments just look more 'high end'.

Model- 6'2".

Me- 5'2".

I also loved the sleeve construction method at the wrist. Ms.Tilton has you do it while it's flat. So gather it ,add pressed bias band then stitch from underarm through band- then you flip and sew in the round. Much easier then doing it all in the round. It's kinda one of those times when you say.' Now why didn't I think of that!'

 

What I hate about this pattern is the straight line right up the front. Don't get me wrong - from a construction point of view it makes the sewing easy , But - it plays havoc with any larger print fabric you might like to use by slicing it in half. All the lines on this top have beautiful curves or work with your curves except this one. I think my fabric print almost works with that front seam however had I paid more attention I would have laid it out better. If I had more drafting skills I would re work it front to back ,if that make sense.

See when you look at the back it has the lovely inset in the middle, I just wish that was the front. Then I would have more fabric choices. I think I may have thought the back was the front when I purchased the pattern. Usually the line drawings are my first consideration and I completely missed this one.

With all this said I still love this 'dress'. I have some small prints picked out for a couple more and I'm looking forward to making them.

Thanks for stopping by.

Maureen.

 

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