My Sew-l-utions 2013... In The Jar + Stash Busting

     
LEFT: Image from Karen's Blog (image by Shivani)
RIGHT: Image from Cation Designs (image by Jen)

Right-i-o, before January finishes, and the "newness" of a brand New Year feels like it is over - I want to publicly declare my sewing-intentions for this year:

This will allow me to create a range of garments (7) and accessories (2) - and hopefully try out and improve a number of new skills and techniques. That's around 1 me-made item every 6 weeks - very do-able methinks LOL!

I am coupling it with the Stashbusting Sewalong by Cation Designs and Emily aka EmSewCrazy. My fabric stash is mega, and doesn't look like getting any smaller :(! So, this will spur me on to use it up or swap-it-away (watch out ladies in Walthamstow this Saturday, as I shall have loads to swap with you ;) !)

2012 was very poor and unproductive for me in terms of sewing output (only 2 scout woven tops made, and 1 SoZo Vest) - luckily I've surpassed that poor sewing-rate this month already with a RTW copy of a top sewn up, and I've made this BurdaStyle Magazine T-Shirt already made (pattern is 02/2013: T-Shirt #126, post to follow shortly! Long-sleeve pattern here too.)

There's some very interesting plans in Karen's jar - I wish everyone the best of luck 'n' success with their sewing endeavours :)

Jeans... jean-ius or jean-uinley tricky?

Peter over at Male Pattern Boldness is running a Jeans Sew-Along starting on Monday 2nd May 2011. It's open to girls and guys alike - jeans after all are worn by practically everybody aren't they? However, for something we often spend an awful lot of time wearing it can be tricky to find a ready-to-wear pair that fits you well. Therefore, what better solution than to make your own? Butt (pun intended!), jeans are of course a type of trouser, and as is so often said in sewing circles trousers are bl***dy difficult to fit properly (hence I can see that Peter's sew-along will be a very handy resource for sharing tips and sewing-woes alike).

Ladies jeans patterns are pretty easy to find ("good" patterns are another debatable thing though LOL!), e.g. there's the much talked about and praised Jalie 2908 (made and much-altered by Tanit-Isis , Elaine and more recently by Melissa) it's been reviewed and talked about extensively over on PatternReview.com.

 Image source: PatternReview.com

Those 3 lovely ladies have both shared tips/thoughts on jeans-making too:

To Do, To Don’t, and What do I know?
The Selfish Seamstress answers your jeans questions
The first Jalie jeans

However, there are precious few resources out there for mens' jeans patterns.

 Image source: jeanshook.com

Having been inspired by Peter's sew-along, here are few places and patterns that I have un-earthed for men's jeans patterns.

In the UK the Kwik Sew 3504 Pattern (as mentioned in Peter's post) is available here: Jaycotts.co.uk and also at Sew Essential too.

 

Kwik Sew 3504                                              2-pictures of: Burda 7733

Or worldwide people can download 3504 from: SewingPatterns.com - Kwik Sew 3504

Also, for download are: Burda 7733 (Men's Straight Narrow leg jeans) I cannot find 7733 on the German BurdaStyle.de website, but this [translated into English] for the French site has more info. on this pattern

The Jalie Men's Jeans 2107 are also on SewingPatterns.com - Jalie 2107, or can be bought in the UK from Habithat.co.uk - Jalie 2107 too.

Jalie Men's Jeans Pattern 2107

Or, I wonder... if any of the many pages of Men's patterns on the Leko site could be adapted into jeans (maybe just tweaking the pockets into that familar rounded shape?) the advantage is that Leko let you download lots of their patterns in 1-fixed size for free!! But, you'd need to get grading if you choose the free copy :)

On a personal note I have the ladies Jalie 2908 (a Christmas present ;) ) on file ready to go! I'd mentally made a note to try making jeans toward the end of the year as I indeed feel that they are a tricky-make, however I can always save Peter's posts to file and follow along at later date if need be. Besides, I've only 2 more weeks of my pattern making course to finish and I hope that the trouser-block I make will help towards fitting a pair of jeans more easily too :) Here's hoping my jeans endeavours turn into jean-ius creations ;)

Making the Trouser Muslin: Part #2... Sewing It Up!

Further to my last post: Making the Trouser Muslin: Part #1... Tracing!, here's how I got on with sewing the pieces together... and a few pics at the end of how it looked and fitted when I tried it on!

I dutifully followed Sunni's instructions for the construction of my toile, and started off by sewing the back darts, followed by attaching the pocket lining pieces to the trousers fronts.


Then, I stitched the pocket pieces to the pocket linings. However, I had a spot of trouble wrapping my head around how this worked (seeing as I'm a beginner and have never sewn a pair of trousers before it's no surprise that some stuff will confound me a little along my sewing journey :)!)... so here's how I helped myself to figure out how the pocket should come together:

Making the Trouser Muslin: Part #1... Tracing!

Okay, so I'm a little it late with the trouser posts :(! I mean I only sewed the darn muslin (toile) out of medium weight calico on 16th of this month, and 2 weeks later I post about it... my bad!

I must be quite strange - because I quite enjoy all the tracing out onto fresh paper of the Burda Style Magazine patterns, and then transfering them onto the fabric is quite a soothing, calming pastime for me too (I gather most people find these stages tricky and tedious?).

Anywho... I had fun with my pencils, rulers, french curves etc. 'cept I managed to get grubby marks from my Saral Transfer Paper all over my fingers & consequently my brand new 60mm rotary cutter :( I was used the graphite (grey) colour transfer paper which was sandwiched between the pattern ontop and the fabric at the bottom. I lurve this transfer paper - it's the wax free kind that quote:

"A wax free copying paper that can be washed out of fabric and a hot iron will not set the lines. The same sheet can be used over and over again. 12" wide, 12' roll."

Weighing-Up Waistbands Sizes

I tried lin3arossa's idea to measure the flat pattern pieces for the waistband pieces (Burda Style Magazine 07/2010, Pattern #127 Trousers).

I only measured the top edge of the waistband pieces (I didn't of course measure the seam allowances). BTW didn't measure the hip size on the pattern - as I'm not sure exactly where on the main trouser pattern peices the natural hipline is supposed to sit (and it's not marked on it so I cannot tell - plus, being a beginner I'm too daft to make an educated guess LOL!).

Pattern Stated Size	Actual Size of Pieces (As measured by moi!)
Size 88 • Waist = to fit 82cm (32.3") • Hips = to fit 106cm (41.7") Size *90  • Waist = to fit 86cm (33.9")  • Hips = to fit 110cm (43.3") Size *92  • Waist = to fit 90cm (35.4")  • Hips = to fit 114cm (44.9")	Size 88 • Waist = measures 87.8cm (34.6")    2.3" bigger than stated size Size *90  • Waist = measures 91.4cm (35.9")      2" bigger than stated size Size *92  • Waist = measures 96.6cm (38")     2.6" bigger than stated size

So assuming I know how to handle a ruler ;) and.... even taking into accounting an allowance of up to 2.5cm (1") of ease as part of the waist measurement (i.e. 1" ease would be where the finished garment is 1" larger in size than the actual person's waist measurement) the waistband front and back pattern pieces come up significantly bigger than the body-size that they are stated to fit.

Therefore, knowing what my own body measurements are - I shall be making my muslin for a size 90 waist & a size 88 in the hips.

I am cutting the calico fabric tonight, I'm out of the house Thursday - so sewing it up & resolving fitting issues will be on Friday evening (I am soooo behind & Sunni has already made 3-posts about fitting, including c-r-o-t-c-h adjustments!!) 

Most Common Pant Alterations 

In which I finally talk about the word..... 

Discussing, at length, Crotch Length

*The pattern only goes up to size 88 - I traced onto the end an extra few sizes myself.

Style Inspiration #1: Lace-y Looks for my Pendrell Blouse

Not content with just one sewalong in January, I am also joining Tasia's Pendrell Blouse Sewalong!

I plan on making 2-blouses.
1: The ruffle sleeve version (View B) in a dark-dark navy blue viscose/cotton blend with little white flowers printed on it.
2: A sleeveless version (View C).

I had planned on only making one blouse, however these pictures crossed my path this week and convinced me otherwise  (well if I'm gonna make one, why not save myself some time in the long run re: cutting and make two instead hehe). I will make myself a muslin/fitting toile in order to tweak fit as I suspect I shall need a) a full-bust adjustment (FBA) to the pattern, and b) to make the sleeves/ruffles longer (or do I mean deeper/wider - well I know what I mean anywho?).

And, in my recent February 2011 issue of InStyle Magazine (UK Edition) I saw this lovely PREEN S/S 2011 dress.

I also, then saw this cream & black lace dress by NEXT (a UK high street store).

I'm loving the contrasting colours - almost monochromatic, however if it were white instead of cream I think it might be far too likely to get dirty for work wear!.

IIRC I have some cream lace hidden in a bag in my *loft, and I have some nice black cotton that I could use to underline my **top.

Oooooh... new thought, new thought! Maybe later on I could make a lace skirt (underlined in black again with a black waistband - as per the Next dress above) to match? A top and skirt would be far more versatile wardrobe wise for me than a dress alone (yay!) I've already made (but not blogged) a blue 'n' white striped seersucker cotton skirt last summer using Gertie's tutorial for "Making a Full gathered Skirt" (Part 1, Part 2) - I will use it again for the skirt :)

There are more pictures from other sew-alongers in the Sewaholic Pattern Flickr Group Pool to enjoy too :)

*Well... when you run out of room in the spare bedroom the fabric stash has gotta go somewhere ;)

**Is it called a top or a blouse when it's sleeveless? I err towards top, a blouse feels more formal (via the addition of sleeves) ergo to my mind sleeveless = top :D!

A (Small) Change of Pants-Plan

Okaaaay then, following on from my last post The Trouble With Trousers and my comment on Sunni's Snipping up your Trouser Muslin post in her sewalong, to which Sunni replied:

"Me: Oopps! I've hit a snag... size wise it turns out I'm bigger than the largest size on pattern #127 (Burda Tall 88 = Regular 44), however I have a plan :) !

Sunni: Oh Claire, I'm so sorry! I was shocked myself that I was only 2nd to the last in this size range. Ha. However, I will say that after my first muslin I had to cut down a size because they were quite large all around. Hopefully this is some consolation. You could always grade..... "

So, this (the bit in orange highlighting) got me thinking - has anyone else experienced the same thing (the trouser pattern coming up a bit big in the waist-fit)...? 'Cos if so, then this will save me a whole lotta of a) tracing out of my 2nd choice pattern (#406/407 from Burda Plus Magazine Autumn/Winter 2010), or b) grading the already traced out #127 pattern, and c) wasting my supply of cheapo Greaseproof paper (aka "Sewing Tracing Paper for Claire" - not be be touched by other persons on pain of death... or worse.).

The Trouble With Trousers

Oh dear me! I was feeling all smug with myself and super-duper prepared. I really thought that I was ahead of schedule on Sunni's Trouser Sewalong - but not so it seems :( !

On Sunday evening I spent a *happy 2 hours tracing out the pattern #127 from the July 2010 issue of BurdaBurda's Tall sizes 72-88). The size I painstakingly copied was the biggest size this pattern goes up to (NB: the size 88 is same as their regular height women's size 44). 

Link: Burda Style - Size Chart (this link is from their German website, the link is to the English translation by Google) the chart [I believe] should apply to Burda Pattern Envelopes, as well as the patterns posted in the magazines.

However, I'd just blithely assumed it would be big enough for me. Having re-measured myself tonight a dawning realisation came upon me... I've *ahem* put on a few lots of pounds since my last measure-up which was in early summer '10 - and I now I need a Burda Tall size 96 for my waist, and a 92 for the hips (i.e., aside from the leg-length/ height differences... the same as a Burda regular size Waist-48, Hips -46).